Novak Djokovic hit 100 unforced errors during a tennis match, yet for fourth round opponent Gilles Simon that still wasn't enough to get over the line, as Djokovic reached his 27th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final in five sets and 4 hours and 32 minutes of action.
Things did start swimmingly for the five-time Australian Open champion, as he took the opening set 6-3, only for Simon to take a second set tiebreak, bringing Djokovic's streak of 26 successive sets won to an end. Sets three and four were each won 6-4 (the third for Djokovic, the fourth for Simon), only for Djokovic to pull away in the decider, taking it 6-3, to maintain his 100% start to the year.
Nishikori Next For Novak
The defending champion was given some post-match advice by one spectator in the crowd, telling the Serbian "No more dropshots!", with which Djokovic replying: "I hate to say it, but you're absolutely right." Some sound words indeed and Djokovic may need them when he takes on Kei Nishikori, who was mighty impressive in dispatching Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach the last-eight.
The Frenchman had no answer to the Japanese star's constant barrage of depth and accuracy as the world no.7 raced through in straight sets in just under two hours. If today's play is anything to go by, Nishikori has every chance to take on and beat Djokovic. A reminder as well: Nishikori won their last Slam meeting, in the 2014 US Open semi-finals. Djokovic may be a different animal 18 months or so later, but that match will be in the back of both players minds.
Federer To Take On Berdych
Roger Federer meanwhile was in a bit of a hurry as he crushed Belgian no.1 David Goffin to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the 12th time. The match didn't get underway until past 10:30pm local time, but the world no.3 and four-time champion Down Under was in ruthless form; Federer winning in straight sets in just under an hour and a half.
Federer will meet Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals after the Czech overcame Roberto Bautista Agut in five. The Spaniard has made a fantastic start to 2016, winning the Auckland title before the first major and defeated former US Open champ Marin Cilic on route to the fourth round. So it proved to be no easy task for Berdych, but he did manage to get the job done to set up a showdown with the Swiss.
Results:
Novak Djokovic (1) bt Gilles Simon (14) 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Roger Federer (3) bt David Goffin (15) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
Tomas Berdych (6) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (24) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
Kei Nishikori (7) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (9) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4