<figure id="attachment_2951836" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2951836" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2951836" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/b3d25cab-ap25002337378464.webp" alt="Australia Tennis Brisbane" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2951836" class="wp-caption-text">Novak Djokovic will be looking to win a 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open later this month. (AP pic)</figcaption></figure>
BRISBANE: Novak Djokovic&#8217;s bid for a 100th ATP Tour title gained momentum today as the Serb thumped fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Brisbane International quarterfinals.
The 37-year-old, who is looking to join Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) as players who have won at least a century of titles, breezed through the first set on the back of a solitary break in the fourth game.
Djokovic never looked back from there as he powered through the second set to extend his win-loss record against the French player to 20-0, nearly two decades after their first encounter in the opening round of the 2005 US Open.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve been playing for many years,&#8221; said Djokovic, who will be gunning for an 11th Australian Open title when the season&#8217;s opening Grand Slam begins later this month.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve known Gael since I was 15. We played quite a bit at juniors and on Tour and have had a good score against him but we have had some incredible battles. He&#8217;s one of the best, if not the best, athlete in our sport over the years.&#8221;
Djokovic will step up his preparations for a tilt at a 25th Grand Slam title at the Jan 12-26 Australian Open when he takes on big-serving American Reilly Opelka in the next round.
Opelka got past Matteo Arnaldi 7-6(9), 7-6(4) while Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, another player who can blow away his opponents with booming serves, upset fourth seed Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6(4).
Czech 19-year-old Jakub Mensik earlier mowed down Serbian lucky loser Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-2.
In the women&#8217;s event, reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will aim to defeat Yulia Putintseva and reach the last eight.
Tunisia&#8217;s Ons Jabeur, who overcame a shoulder injury that ended her 2024 season early, dug deep to beat Armenia&#8217;s Elina Avanesyan 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 and reach her first tour quarterfinal since the Berlin Open in June.
It was the end of the road for third seed Daria Kasatkina, who fell to a 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 defeat against fellow Russian Polina Kudermetova, while their compatriot Mirra Andreeva eased past Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0.
Double Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka also crashed out after the Belarusian was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Czech Marie Bouzkova.

MatchPoint Times

Djokovic continues to dominate Monfils as he reaches Brisbane quarters

The Serb extended his win-loss record against the Frenchman to 20-0 nearly two decades after their first meeting.

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