Tennis - Exhibition - Juan Martin del Potro v Novak Djokovic - Estadio Mary Teran de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 1, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during an exhibition match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
BRISBANE (Reuters) -Novak Djokovic's bid for a 100th ATP Tour title gained momentum on Thursday as the Serb thumped fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3 6-3 to reach the Brisbane International quarter-finals.
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 U.S. Open.
"We've been playing for many years," said Djokovic, who will be gunning for an 11th Australian Open title when the season's opening Grand Slam begins later this month.
"I'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's one of the best, if not the best, athlete in our sport over the years."
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's event, reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka endured a stern test in the opening set against Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva before winning 7-6(2) 6-4.
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, who overcame a shoulder injury that ended her 2024 season early, also dug deep to defeat Armenia's Elina Avanesyan 6-4 1-6 6-4 and reach her first tour quarter-final 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.
Two times Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka also crashed out after the Belarusian was defeated 6-4 6-4 by Czech Marie Bouzkova.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
