Novak Djokovic didn’t expect things to go as smoothly as they did against Tomas Machac at Australian Open 2025.
Given Machac won their last duel and Djokovic had conceded sets against opponents outside the Top 100 in his first two rounds, perhaps many would have agreed with him even despite the Serb being a 24-time Grand Slam champion.
On Sunday at Melbourne Park, Djokovic meets Machac’s countryman, Jiri Lehecka, as the No.7 seed bids for a 15th quarterfinal at the Australian Open.
His many supporters will hope it is not a case of one too many Czechs for the 37-year-old.
“There are some similarities between him and Machac, I think,” Djokovic said after downing Machac in straight sets on Friday. “The Czech tennis school backhands are terrific.
“Lehecka is one of the fittest guys on tour and I think his serve is underestimated. Wins a lot of free points on the first serve.
“I can expect another aggressive player that plays very flat.”
MORE: AO 2025 men's singles draw
Djokovic has always been one to follow results on tour, the big fan of tennis that he is. So he was well aware that Lehecka — ranked four spots below Machac at No.29 — just won a title at the Brisbane International.
“The more matches you win, the more confident you are, so I'm sure this kind of matchup comes at the right time for him,” Djokovic said. “I’m sure he feels that he can beat me. If we play on centre court, night session, it would be a great matchup. I'm looking forward to it.”
Yes, they will tussle at Rod Laver Arena under the lights.
Lehecka has spoken of his fondness for Australia during this Australian summer, no doubt boosted by the career milestones he has achieved in these parts.
His first Grand Slam main draw appearance came at AO 2022, his lone Grand Slam quarterfinal came a year later and in 2024 Lehecka bagged his maiden ATP title in Adelaide.
The sequence continued in 2025 in Brisbane, where Lehecka finished his stint by earning a retirement win against Reilly Opelka (who had beaten Djokovic).
With his level and Lehecka receiving another retirement victory this week at Melbourne Park, are the stars aligning for the 23-year-old?
Lehecka took a set off Djokovic in their only previous meeting — in Australia last year at the United Cup.
“I already trust in my game and in the way we worked in the past two, three weeks here in Australia,” Lehecka told the ATP. “I'm very confident about the fact that if I'm going to show my best tennis, why shouldn't I beat him?”
Twice defending champion Aryna Sabalenka begins play at Rod Laver Arena against the youngest remaining singles player in either draw, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Despite her tender years and thus not being a tour veteran, the pair have already met four times — an indication of Andreeva’s propensity to go deep already at bigger events.
When they met in Brisbane, Sabalenka prevailed in straight sets but only after Andreeva applied early pressure on the world No.1’s serve.
MORE: AO 2025 women's singles draw
Sabalenka overall holds a 3-1 edge against Andreeva, although that one loss came at a Grand Slam, last year’s Roland Garros in the quarterfinals.
“Playing her on a clay court is, I would say, a bit easier,” Andreeva said. “Of course on the hard courts, like here in Melbourne, I would say that for me is one of the fastest hard courts.
“So, of course, this is not going to be easy. We're just gonna see if I can handle the pressure and everything that's gonna happen.”
Andreeva nearly didn't reach this stage; Moyuka Uchijima served for the match when the duo played in the second round.
It's shaping up to be a massive day for Andreeva, who will team up with Diana Shnaider later on Sunday to face Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in a rematch of the Olympic doubles final won by the Italian pair.
Elsewhere on Day 8, the marathon man at AO 2025, Jack Draper, bids for a second win over Carlos Alcaraz after overcoming the Spaniard at home on grass last year.
The lefty was quick to point out that Alcaraz might have been jaded back in June after he had just won at Roland Garros. US Open semi-finalist Draper must be more jaded this time as is coming off three straight five-setters.
The last two came against Australian opposition in the form of Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic.
“I still have a long way to go, but this is a huge drive forward. Three five-set matches, it doesn't happen often,” the No.15 seed said. “That's a testament to the work I've done and the place I'm in,” added Draper, who has openly discussed his fitness concerns.
Among Sunday’s other action, a surging Coco Gauff plays returning mum — and Olympic singles gold medallist — Belinda Bencic while men’s second-seed Alexander Zverev tangles with Ugo Humbert.
Gauff brings a 10-match winning streak into the fourth round — claiming the last nine in straight sets.
Zverev, continuing his quest for a maiden Grand Slam crown, beat Humbert in the final of the Paris Masters in November.
Like Gauff, the German hasn’t lost a set through three rounds.