Djokovic locks in Alcaraz blockbuster as Sabalenka powers into quarters with Pavlyuchenkova

Ten-time champion Novak Djokovic is into a record-equaling 15th Australian Open quarterfinal after taking care of 24th seed Jiri Lehecka in straight sets on Sunday.
Having outplayed Lehecka’s countryman Tomas Machac 48 hours earlier, the Serbian was solid throughout another test against a talented young Czech, continuing to ease through the bottom half of the draw 6-3 6-4 7-6(4). 
And so, it’s on, the blockbuster everyone wanted. Djokovic’s 98th match win in Melbourne sets up an eighth meeting with third seed Carlos Alcaraz in what will be the Novak 61st Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Alcaraz moved through much quicker earlier when his fourth-round opponent Jack Draper was forced to retire with a hip injury after the second set.
It was another successful outcome for Djokovic’s partnership with new coach Andy Murray – a man he outplayed in four of the 10 finals he has won at Melbourne Park.
Beating Lehecka this year has been one of the toughest assignments in tennis. The 23-year-old came into the match undefeated in 2025, riding an eight-match win streak after claiming the second title of his career in Brisbane. Djokovic, though, largely made the task look easy.
Back in the press room, Djokovic said he is satisfied with his tennis.
“I think the last two matches have been really high level. I played two Czech players that are in a really good form. Lehecka won a tournament in the first week of the season. He’s been feeling the ball great,” he explained. 
The only problematic spell came late in the third set, when Djokovic found himself at 30-all when serving at 4-5. Two big serves steadied the ship before he wrapped things up a few minutes later.
In truth, Lehecka was too erratic during the early stages of the match which allowed Djokovic to build a healthy lead.
In the women’s showdown Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova demonstrated that the destination is more important than the journey after navigating past tricky seeded opponents in contrasting fashion to set up an Australian Open 2025 quarterfinal showdown.
Sabalenka, the determined world No.1, needed just 62 minutes to dispatch teenager Mirra Andreeva 6-1 6-2 on Sunday, six minutes faster than the time taken by Pavlyuchenkova to secure the opening set against Donna Vekic.
Pavlyuchenkova ultimately upset the 18th seed 7-6(0) 6-0, a result accelerated after her opponent sustained a right knee injury.