‘Exactly what the doctor ordered’: The lucky break that could set up Novak Djokovic for Australian Open success

James Willoughby
Jan 23, 2019, updated Jan 24, 2019

One of the rare occasions on Wednesday when Novak Djokovic had to stretch. Photo: Getty

“Australia has been really kind to me throughout my career,” Novak Djokovic said after his latest slice of fortune at Melbourne Park.

The Serbian star – gunning for a record seventh Australian Open men’s singles title – was on court for just 52 minutes on Wednesday evening before his opponent Kei Nishikori called it quits.

For Djokovic, who led the quarter-final 6-1 4-1 when Nishikori’s leg injury became too much, this was the ideal result.

The World No.1 looked a little tired in the closing stages of his round-of-16 win over Daniil Medvedev but will enter Thursday’s semi-final against Frenchman Lucas Pouille having played less than an hour of tennis in four days.

Kei Nishikori was forced to retire with a thigh injury in the second set. Photo: Getty

Pouille, who had never made it past the first round at Melbourne Park in five previous attempts, has played 21 sets at this year’s tournament, of which eight have been tiebreaks.

Ranked 31st in the world, Pouille is bound to be more fatigued than Djokovic, who has completed just 15 sets and featured in only one tiebreak.

A win for the top seed in that clash would set up a likely final between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, a promoter’s dream, not that the former would entertain the thought.

“Right now it’s my press conference,” he told a reporter afterwards.

“So it will be nice to talk about me more than Nadal. If you want to talk about our possible encounter, we talk about that if we both win semis.”

This was an ace Djokovic did not have time to serve on court.

The little time he did spend on Rod Laver Arena was impressive, crunching 14 winners and winning more than double the points of his opponent.

Nishikori was playing wounded, though, after a gruelling first week at the Open.

#Nishikori's right quad is tightly strapped.

Can the Japanese player rebound from his first set loss to #Djokovic?#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/41S5pxqP5t

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2019

The Japanese player entered the quarter-final having spent nearly 14 hours on court already, coming from two sets down to progress in three of his four matches.

His last-16 clash – a controversial encounter against Pablo Carreno Busta – stretched more than five hours and Nishikori said he was “sure” his injury was down to an accumulation of fatigue.

“After third or fourth game when I was serving, I felt pretty heavy to my right leg,” he said.

“After that I couldn’t really bend my knees and couldn’t jump up … I’m sure it comes from my past matches, especially last match. I was moving a lot, waste too much energy.

“So disappointed … it’s tough to lose like this.”

"I wish him a speedy recovery."@DjokerNole sends his regards to his worthy opponent Kei Nishikori.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/2n9XGj1Arg

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2019

Djokovic added in his on-court interview with the Nine Network: “I hope he [Kei] can recover. I hope it’s nothing very serious.

“As they say, this is exactly what the doctor ordered for me after a match two nights ago – not to spend too much time on the court.”

The doctor got his wish.

Pouille won through to the semi-finals after surprising big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-7 (7-2) 6-4.

The moment of his tennis lifetime 🇫🇷

Take a bow, @la_pouille! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/mreC42vqNG

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2019

‘I can’t say that I choked’: Serena Williams bows out

Earlier on Wednesday, Serena Williams’ hopes of a 24th grand slam singles title were dashed in an enthralling three-set encounter against Karolina Pliskova.

The American coughed up four match points in the third and final set as Pliskova eventually won 6-4 4-6 7-5.

Serving for the match at 5-1, Williams produced a foot fault, a double fault and rolled her left ankle as Pliskova came up with a break.

Serena Williams says Karolina Pliskova deserved her win. Photo: Getty

The Czech player did not look back, winning the last six of games of the match playing tennis that Williams described as “lights out”.

“Karolina literally played lights out starting [at] 5-1, 40-30. Literally, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Williams said.

“There’s nothing I did wrong on those match points. I didn’t do anything wrong. I stayed aggressive. She just literally hit the lines on some of them.

“I can’t say that I choked on those match points. She literally played her best tennis ever on those shots.”

Williams did not use the injury as an excuse but said she needed to learn from the defeat, including that she needed to “go bananas” on future match points.

At 5-1 down in the third set against Serena Williams, @KaPliskova's mind was in the locker room…

Somehow she ended up in the #AusOpen semifinals.

This is how. pic.twitter.com/O8IpYeh27D

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2019

“I just went for my shots …. I just felt a chance. I saw a chance. I just took it,” Pliskova said.She will play Naomi Osaka on Thursday for a place in the final.

Osaka – winner of the US Open last year – beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-1 in just 72 minutes, smashing 31 winners in a convincing performance.