Tennis: Djokovic made to work to reach fourth round

January 18, 2013 4:09pm


MELBOURNE - World number one Novak Djokovic was forced to scrap for every point but advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-4 6-3 7-5 victory over Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic on Friday.

The 34-year-old Stepanek, ranked 34th in the world, did little wrong in an entertaining clash of inspired shotmaking and ball-chasing, but the Serb's court craft, service return and retrieval skills were simply too good in the end.

[Related: Devastating Djokovic hammers Harrison to advance]


The top seed is seeking to become the first man to win three successive Australian Open titles since the tennis went professional in 1969.

Djokovic will now meet either big-serving American Sam Querrey or Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round. - Reuters