Australian Open: Zverev progresses to quarter-finals after win over Lajovic
Feb 14, 2021
Melbourne [Australia], February 14 : Germany's Alexander Zverev defeated Dusan Lajovic in the fourth round clash to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday.
Zverev outclassed Serbian 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-3 at Margaret Court Arena. The German got most of his first serves in and racked up 44 winners to dominate the 30-year-old Lajovic throughout the match.
After losing the first set, Lajovic came back strong and gave a tough fight in the second set as it went into the tie-breaker but his efforts went in vain as the German claimed it by 7-6(5).
In the third set, Zverev claimed the match and cruised to the next round of the tournament.
Zverev will meet either world number one Novak Djokovic or Canadian 14th seed Milos Raonic for a place in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the day, Dominic Thiem was knocked out of the Australian Open in the fourth round after losing to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov at Rod Laver Arena.
Reigning US Open champion lost to Bulgarian in straight sets by 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 that lasted for over two hours. Dimitrov was on the top since the beginning of the clash as he won back-to-back sets and kept Thiem under pressure.
In the third set, Dimitrov took full control of the match and claimed the set without losing a single point.
The 29-year-old Dimitrov hit 25 winners, including 10 aces, while Thiem committed 41 unforced errors and won just nine of 28 points on his second serve.
Dimitrov will now take on Russia's Aslan Karatsev in the quarterfinal match. The Bulgarian will be contesting his sixth Grand Slam championship quarter-final.
