DAY 8 MEN: Alcaraz to face Djokovic, Zverev books quarters against Paul

Novak Djokovic trampled all over Czech 24th seed Jiri Lehecka to seal a 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) win on Sunday and book a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

After a couple of tough early tests, Djokovic sharpened his tools in his hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam crown and 11th at Melbourne Park with a mauling of Czech Tomas Machac in the last round and was again at his impressive best against Lehecka.

"Thank you very much for being here tonight. I appreciate your presence and the support. I'll see you in the next round. Thank you very much," Djokovic said curtly on court before signing a few autographs and heading to the dressing room.

A solitary break in the eighth game was all Djokovic needed to take the opening set, as the 37-year-old Serb looked in total control despite playing well within himself in perfect conditions at a packed Rod Laver Arena.

Seventh seed Djokovic attacked Lehecka's serve early in the next set and efficiently doubled his advantage in the match, as the 23-year-old Czech was left with a mountain to climb to equal his feat of reaching the quarter-finals two years ago.

A rejuvenated Lehecka recovered after dropping serve again and stayed in the fight to frustrate Djokovic in the third set, but there was only going to be one winner when the Serb went ahead 4-2 in the tiebreak.

With Djokovic's forehand and serve clicking back into gear, he comfortably closed out the win to equal his now retired rival Roger Federer's all-time record of 15 appearances in the last-eight stage of the Melbourne Park major.

Novak Djokovic trampled all over Czech 24th seed Jiri Lehecka to seal a 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) win on Sunday and book a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

After a couple of tough early tests, Djokovic sharpened his tools in his hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam crown and 11th at Melbourne Park with a mauling of Czech Tomas Machac in the last round and was again at his impressive best against Lehecka.

"Thank you very much for being here tonight. I appreciate your presence and the support. I'll see you in the next round. Thank you very much," Djokovic said curtly on court before signing a few autographs and heading to the dressing room.

A solitary break in the eighth game was all Djokovic needed to take the opening set, as the 37-year-old Serb looked in total control despite playing well within himself in perfect conditions at a packed Rod Laver Arena.

Order of Play | Watch Live on DStv

Seventh seed Djokovic attacked Lehecka's serve early in the next set and efficiently doubled his advantage in the match, as the 23-year-old Czech was left with a mountain to climb to equal his feat of reaching the quarter-finals two years ago.

A rejuvenated Lehecka recovered after dropping serve again and stayed in the fight to frustrate Djokovic in the third set, but there was only going to be one winner when the Serb went ahead 4-2 in the tiebreak.

With Djokovic's forehand and serve clicking back into gear, he comfortably closed out the win to equal his now retired rival Roger Federer's all-time record of 15 appearances in the last-eight stage of the Melbourne Park major.

ALCARAZ STAYS ON COURSE

Carlos Alcaraz stayed on course for a blockbuster Australian Open quarterfinal with Novak Djokovic when marathon man Jack Draper retired during their last-16 clash.

 The Spanish third seed was well on top when the Briton threw in the towel when down 7-5, 6-1 on a sweltering Rod Laver Arena.

The 15th-seeded Draper needed five sets to win his first three Melbourne matches, rallying from behind in all of them to stay in the tournament.

He had spent nearly 13 hours on court to Alcaraz's six and it finally caught up with him.

"It's not the way I wanted to win. But obviously I'm happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia," said Alcaraz, who is bidding to win the title for the first time.

"But a little bit sad, you know, for Jack. He's really a nice person, he doesn't deserve to get injured."

Draper pulled out of the United Cup in the lead-up to Melbourne with a hip injury.

Alcaraz is into the last eight at Melbourne Park for the second successive year.

He has never gone further – beaten in 2024 by Alexander Zverev – and will have to beat either Djokovic or Czech Jiri Lehecka, who play later, to do so.

The Australian Open is the only major missing from four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz's collection.

Should he go all the way, he will become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam – winning all four majors – in the Open Era and the youngest to win in Australia since Djokovic in 2008.

"I'm happy with the level I'm playing. On the court and off the court I'm feeling really comfortable here," he said.

"Physically, I'm feeling great. So coming into the second week of a Grand Slam it is important to feel well physically because right now the matches are even tougher.

"BUT I AM READY"

Alcaraz was beaten by Draper when they last met, on the grass of Queen's Club in 2024, but with the hot sun pounding down in Melbourne his booming groundstrokes caused instant problems for the Briton.

The opening set went on serve until the Spaniard seized an opportunity in the sixth game to break on the back of two net winners.

Draper kept plugging away and his persistence paid off with a break to haul back to 5-4 before Alcaraz broke once more to take control again.

The Briton slumped 3-0 behind in the second set and was clearly struggling, finally pulling the pin when he lost the set.

ZVEREV BOOKS PAUL CLASH 

Alexander Zverev booked a quarterfinal against Tommy Paul after surviving a mid-match wobble to oust France's Ugo Humbert as he zeroes in on a maiden Grand Slam title.

The second seed was in imperious form to start and finish on John Cain Arena, racing past the 14th seed 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 after briefly letting his guard down.

He will meet dangerous 12th seed Paul for a place in the last four after the American whipped Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for the loss of just three games.

Zverev and Paul have played twice before, but not since Indian Wells in 2022, with the American winning both times.

"He's an incredible top player and has improved tremendously and I'm happy to be in the quarter-finals," said Zverev, a two-time Grand Slam finalist.

"Extremely happy to be in the quarters only losing one set. I definitely want to play three more matches here."

The 27-year-old has been in ominous form, building on a stellar 2024 that propelled him to a career-high two in the world.

It is his second straight run to the last eight in Melbourne, progressing to the semis last year where he lost to Daniil Medvedev.

While Zverev has made Grand Slam quarter-finals 14 times, he has never been able to go all the way after a decade of trying.

Should he finally snap the drought, he would be the first German man to win a Slam since Boris Becker in Melbourne in 1996.

He was calm and composed against Humbert, who has failed to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final in 25 attempts, despite losing the second set

After breaking the Frenchman's opening service game he kept his foot to the floor to take the first set in just 27 minutes.

But Humbert rallied to take the next set after Zverev's serve faltered and too many unforced errors crept in.

But the German refocused to reassert control, winning 100 percent of his first serve points in set three, and never surrendered.

Paul should pose a tougher assignment.

The opening Grand Slam of the year has been by far his most successful during his career, with a 15-5 win-loss record in his six tournaments.

His best Slam result came in Melbourne when he powered to the semi-finals in 2023 – the first American man to do so since Andy Roddick in 2009.

He beat Davidovich Fokina along the way that year too before being ousted by Novak Djokovic.

"I'm always happy to be back in Australia and to be in the quarter-finals again. It's amazing," said Paul after the 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 demolition job.

"This court is where I came through to my first quarter-final ever, and now my second one here in Australia on this court.

"So great memories on this court," added the 27-year-old, who dominated on serve against the Spaniard while crunching 25 winners.

PAUL BLASTS INTO QUARTERS IN 87 MINUTES

Tommy Paul dropped just three games to surge into his third Grand Slam quarterfinal with a thumping of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The American 12th seed was simply too good for the 66th-ranked Spaniard on a scorching hot Melbourne day, cruising home 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.

The 27-year-old will meet either German second seed Alexander Zverev or French 14th seed Ugo Humbert for a place in the last four.

The opening Grand Slam of the year has been by far Paul's most successful during his career, with a 15-5 win-loss record in his six tournaments.

His best Slam result came in Melbourne when he powered to the semi-finals in 2023 – the first American man to do so since Andy Roddick in 2009.

He beat Davidovich Fokina along the way that year too before being ousted by Novak Djokovic.

"I'm always happy to be back in Australia and to be in the quarter-finals again. It's amazing," said Paul, who won three titles in 2024, at Dallas, Queen's and Stockholm.

"This court is where I came through to my first quarter-final ever, and now my second one here in Australia on this court.

"So great memories on this court."

Davidovich Fokina was coming off two gruelling five-setters, including rallying from two sets down in his third-round clash, and he was lacklustre in the opening set.

Paul broke immediately then won 87 percent on his own first serve to barely give the Spaniard a look in on his way to the first set in just 22 minutes.

Davidovich Fokina needed a medical timeout at the changeover for what appeared to be a right hip problem and never got back into the match.

Paul broke twice for 4-0 in the second set and it was a similar story in the third as he raced to the win in just 1hr 27mins.

"It's not easy to do once and to do it twice in a row," he said of the Spaniard going through two five-set matches.

"I mean, he definitely deserves a round of applause and respect from me, for sure, for staying out here today."