The tennis player who dares to write notes to himself in the middle of a match: this is Djokovic's next opponent in Australia

Jose Morón | 16 Jan 2025 | 20.00

The tennis player who dares to write notes to himself in the middle of a match: this is Djokovic's next opponent in Australia. Photo: Eurosport.

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Tomas Machac has faced Novak Djokovic twice, and in both instances he has posed serious challenges to the Serbian. The first, in 2023, in Dubai, he pushed him to the limit and came close to defeating him. Nole needed a third-set tiebreak to overcome the Czech. The second, in 2024, in Geneva, Machac strode towards the net as the winner, proving that his game can inflict significant damage on Djokovic. Now, the Beroun native threatens to eliminate Djokovic in the third round and keep Nole out of the second week, a scenario that hasn't happened since 2017 and has only occurred three times in Belgrade's career.

Machac is a peculiar type. He deviates somewhat from the typical Czech school of flat-hitting baseliners and is capable of offering a highly versatile style of play, which he has greatly perfected in recent times, becoming a tough nut to crack for anyone. Judging from his 2024 season, few doubt his quality to dangerously approach the Top 10 and he now has a unique opportunity against Djokovic to firmly assert himself with his first major victory in a Slam.

Capable of adopting different styles

Tomas is a player who can assume different roles depending on the opponent or surface. He can adopt an ultra-aggressive style as we saw against Alcaraz in last year's Shanghai tournament, where he didn't let him breathe at any point and attacked relentlessly. His quick hand takes away time, allowing him to stay on top of the ball and suffocate opponents from the baseline with vertical play, or defend from the back of the court and become a wall. This blend is what makes Machac particularly dangerous.

The major key that can secure victory against Djokovic

Djokovic is aware of Machac's significant threats. There is a particular aspect of the Czech's game that could lead him to victory against the Serbian. It's his remarkable ability to find parallel shots, especially with his backhand. He has a clean and natural hitting technique, easily executing those parallel shots. At the beginning of 2025, we're seeing Djokovic with slightly less intensity in his movements, making it increasingly challenging for him to cover those lateral runs and return the balls.

If Djokovic is not sharp on his feet and Machac controls the parallel shots, the match could very well favor the Czech. Djokovic understands this well and will need to bring out his best to counter this challenge.

Take notes during matches

During his latest press conference, a journalist noticed Machac writing notes in a notebook during his match against Opelka. “Yes, I usually write notes on certain occasions during matches. Especially when I need to calm down or think about something else. I do it because on the court, you go through moments of high stress and intense emotions, and those emotions change rapidly. I read those notes and they calm me down. It makes me happy. I started doing it when I played a couple of Challengers and won them. It's something that helps me a lot,” shared Machac, who is shaping up to be the biggest threat Djokovic has faced so far in the Australian Open.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El tenista que se anima escribiéndose notas en medio de un partido: así es el próximo rival de Djokovic en Australia