Lorenzo Musetti has expressed his desire to exact “revenge” on Novak Djokovic and asserted that he intends to push the 38-year-old Serb “to his maximum” ahead of the pair’s Australian Open showdown.
Musetti and Djokovic will face off in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday in what will be their 11th encounter.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head 9-1 having won the last six meetings since Musetti earned his lone victory at the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters.
World No 5 Musetti defeated ninth-ranked Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in the last 16 in Melbourne on Monday.
Djokovic, who is ranked fourth, received a walkover to the quarter-finals as his fourth round opponent Jakub Mensik withdrew due to injury.
Following his triumph over Fritz, Musetti looked ahead to his match against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“Playing against Novak is always challenging, especially here, where he has won many times,” said the Italian.
“I think it will be a tough match, for sure. Of course, he’s feeling good. He hasn’t lost a set.
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“He had the chance to rest for a few days. I think at this age, I think he was happy about it, of course, to try to be well-prepared and well-relaxed for this match.
“But of course, we know each other pretty well because we played a lot. Just won once against him.
“Hopefully, I’ll take my revenge, because last time in Athens we were really, really close. I feel like I have another chance now.”
The 23-year-old also addressed what makes Djokovic such a difficult opponent.
“One for sure, facing his character, his status as a player and as a champion,” Musetti said.
“The second one, the way he turns around sometimes difficult situations, raising his level, never escaping from a match. Those are the two things I guess that always Novak does.
“I think the thought that I have and the mentality that I have to put on the court in the next match against Nole is probably that one, trying to go for winning the match and not playing the match. I feel ready to try to push him to his maximum.”
Musetti is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time, while this is the 16th time Djokovic has reached the last eight at Melbourne Park.
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