Sounds obvious, asking a tennis player to try to win. But nothing is simple or obvious playing against Djokovic.<\/p>\n
Against him, you can\u2019t just play the match your way and expect to win. You have to play the point, play the vibe. That is the difference between the player with more slams than any other man and the one who has none. Between Djokovic, here ranked No.4, and Musetti, ranked No.5.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, it is what a light-and-shade player such as Musetti has become very good at.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying against Novak is always challenging, especially here, which he won many, many, many times. He knew pretty well the condition, all the things possible,\u201d Musetti said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it will be a tough match, for sure. Of course, he\u2019s feeling good. He never lost a set. He had the chance to rest for a few days. I think at this age, I think he was happy about it (his fourth round opponent withdrawing), of course, to try to be well-prepared and well-relaxed for this match.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOf course, we know each other pretty well because we played a lot. [I\u2019ve] just won once against him. Hopefully, I\u2019ll take my revenge because last time in Athens we were really, really close. I feel like I have another chance now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hard part about playing Djokovic is playing Djokovic because you aren\u2019t just playing a player, you are playing history. The second thing Musetti has learnt from those previous matches is that Djokovic finds ways to wriggle out of tight spots other players can\u2019t find. It\u2019s what separates him.<\/p>\n
By his own admission, Musetti \u201cwasn\u2019t cynical, I wasn\u2019t cold enough\u201d to beat Djokovic in Athens. Presented with the same moments, he knows Djokovic would have gone for the kill.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the mentality that I have to put on the court next match against \u2018Nole\u2019 is trying to go for winning the match and not playing the match.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musetti\u2019s quarter-finals appearance will be his first at a hardcourt grand slam.<\/p>\n
When he won Monday\u2019s fourth round match, appropriately it was with a drop shot. Musetti squeezed a sliced ball over the net to that spot almost on the ballkid\u2019s bent knee that teases opponents into thinking they can reach it. But they can\u2019t. Fritz couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
It was the third point in a row that Musetti had played the same shot. Serving for the match, he hit an ace, drop shot, drop shot, drop shot. Game, set, match.<\/p>\n
And so with that joker\u2019s hit he claimed a spot to play the Djoker in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
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Read more about the Australian Open:<\/p>\n