Djokovic Reaches the Australian Open Quarterfinals, Matching Federer’s Grand Slam Record

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his fourth round match against France's Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his fourth round match against France's Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)
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Djokovic Reaches the Australian Open Quarterfinals, Matching Federer’s Grand Slam Record

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his fourth round match against France's Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his fourth round match against France's Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)

Novak Djokovic was ruthless in a 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 win over Adrian Mannarino on Sunday, reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals and matching Roger Federer's all-time Grand Slam record.

In a rare daytime appearance on Rod Laver Arena, the 10-time Australian Open champion hit 31 winners and raced to victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes to progress to the last eight for the 58th time at a major, equaling Federer's record.

Djokovic is into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 14th time, which is equal second on the all-time list with Rafael Nadal and John Newcombe. The difference is that he's converted most of those quarterfinal runs into titles at Melbourne Park.

He'll next face No. 12 Taylor Fritz, who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time with a 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up here last year.

"I think I served well, the whole match, it kept me in it," said Fritz, after his first victory over a top 10 player at a major. "And then at the very end when I really needed it, I feel like I just, I turned it up a level and started playing my absolute best tennis to finish it."

Djokovic, who labored in his first two rounds, believes he's starting to hit his stride.

"The first two sets were some of the best sets I’ve played in a while," said Djokovic, who is bidding for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam singles title. "I played great from the first to the last point."

He added, in jest: "I really wanted to lose that game in the third set because the tension was building in the stadium.

The 35-year-old Mannarino had gone to five sets in all three of his previous rounds. After missing a break point in the opening game, he almost never threatened Djokovic.

The Frenchman avoided a so-called triple-bagel – only five Grand Slam matches in the Open era have been won 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 – but he was only postponing the inevitable.

Djokovic has admitted to feeling unwell in recent rounds but said his health is improving.

"Last couple of days have been really good," he said. "It’s going in a positive direction, health-wise, tennis-wise."

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and US Open winner Coco Gauff cruised into the women's quarterfinals with commanding wins.

No. 2-ranked Sabalenka, who won her first Slam title here last year, beat Amanada Anisimova 6-3, 6-2. Gauff, who picked up her first major at the US Open in September, beat Magdalena Frech 6-1, 6-2.

Anisimova had won four of their previous five meetings, but she didn't have the answers this time to counter the power of the Belarusian, who hit 18 winners.

"I’m super-happy with the level, happy to get this win, she’s a tough opponent," Sabalenka said. "I love the atmosphere here, I love playing in front of you guys. I really want to stay as long as possible and hopefully we can get this thing one more time."

A brief rain delay at 4-1 in the first set stopped Sabalenka’s momentum but she quickly recovered and pulled away in the second set. She’ll meet either 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva or No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova in the last eight.

Gauff was the first woman through, needing just 63 minutes to see off Frech in a match played on Rod Laver Arena — in front of the Australian great.

"Luckily when I saw him come in I was already well up," Gauff said. "I heard clapping and knew it wasn’t for us, it was only the first set. But thank you for coming, it’s an honor."

Gauff will play Marta Kostyuk after the Ukrainian beat Maria Tomafeeva 6-2, 6-1 to reach the major quarterfinals for the first time.

Still a teenager, Gauff drew attention to her shoes, which carry a number of messages, including one that says: "You can change the world with your racket," something her father told her as a little girl.



Unforced Errors to Blame for Milan’s Draw against Fiorentina

 AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
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Unforced Errors to Blame for Milan’s Draw against Fiorentina

 AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)

AC Milan paid the price for making some unforced errors in their 2-2 home draw against Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday, coach Sergio Conceicao said as his side continue to lose pace with the top four.

Milan conceded twice in the opening 10 minutes through a Malick Thiaw own goal and a first-time effort from Fiorentina forward Moise Kean but salvaged a point with goals from Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic.

"There are some individual errors, but not only in defense. I think the team made errors that were not forced by the opponent," Conceicao told Sky Sport.

"There are some behaviors that we are trying to improve... These are behaviors of football and football school that you learn as a kid.

"We also miss a lot of goals. We have to find this balance, because we create a lot. The approach was bad, it was not what we prepared."

Milan, who earned seven points from their last seven games, sit ninth in the table on 48 points. They are four points behind eighth-placed Fiorentina and eight off Bologna in fourth, who have a game in hand.

"We talk to each other, we prepare the games well. The lads have given me some good signs in these three days," Conceicao said.

"In the game against Inter the approach was different and for 90 minutes we were balanced.

"(There's) a set of characteristics that players must have and this mentality, personality to enter the game strong to defend this shirt must always be present."

Conceicao's side held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie on Wednesday.

With the prospects of securing Champions League football fading, they can earn a spot in the Europa League if they succeed in the domestic cup.