Novak Djokovic is eyeing Grand Slam No.25 at this year’s Australian Open (Image: Getty)
equalled another record to set up a quarter-final blockbuster with .
The 10-time champion saw off No.24 seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-4 7-6 in his favourite Rod Laver Arena.
He has reached his 15th quarter-final here to draw level with the mark set by the Swiss legend. This is Djokovic’s 20th appearance here since he made his 2005 debut.
And the Serbian has now set up a rematch of the and Olympic finals against the Spaniard here on Tuesday.
The No.7 seed, who had not played since October, dropped sets in his two matches but claimed straight-sets wins over Czechs Tomas Machac and now Lehecka.
Djokovic won the first two sets with single breaks in each and looked set for a regulation win when broke the Czech’s serve in the first game of the third. But the Serb gave the break straight back in the next game when he carelessly hit a backhand slice into the net.
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At one point in the third set, he told Swedish umpire Mohamed Lahyani: “They are doing it on purpose. It is so obvious.”
He showed signs of frustration with his own play and heckling from the crowd as the fourth-round clash went to a third-set tiebreak.
Lehecka dropped his racquet in frustration when he went 1-2 down before Djkovic played defended superbly before winning the next point with a backhand pass and then raising his arm in triumph.
He set up two match points with a forehand drop volley to end a 17-shot rally. And Djokovic took the first when Lehecka steered a backhand into the net after two hours and 39 minutes.
He will also be the third man in the Open era to reach the last eight here aged 37 or older after Ken Rosewall and Federer.
Djokovic declined to do his usual post-match courtside interview after a second match of getting heckled. He took the microphone off Jim Courier and said: “Thank you very much for being here tonight and I will see you in the next round.”
He then walked off to a smattering of boos.
Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open 11 times already (Image: Getty)
Alcaraz reached his second consecutive quarter-final here after retired.
He is seeking to complete his career Grand Slam at a Major where he has never got beyond the last eight – and now faces the 24-time Grand Slam winner who is seeking to overtake the record he shares with Margaret Court.
Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 4-3 and has won both their matches on hardcourts.
Speaking after retired from his fourth-round tie, Alcaraz said: “This is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal, I guess! I think in a Grand Slam, from quarter-finals to the final, those players are the best in the world.
“If it wasn’t Djokovic in the quarter-final, it could be another player who is in top of the ranking, top of the world. But facing Novak, for me it’s not going to change anything if I’m playing him in the quarter-final or semi-final.
“Probably change a little bit if it is a final, obviously. Being in a quarterfinal, I’m going to approach the match the same as I did in the previous matches against him, and let’s see.
“He has to win obviously. But let’s see. I’m going to approach it in the same way I approached the previous matches.”
World No.2 will play American Tommy Paul in the other quarter-final on the bottom half of the draw. The German beat French No.14 seed Ugo Humbert 6-1 2-6 6-3 6-2.