'Agitated' Djokovic called out for 'playing it up'

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Todd Woodbridge has formed uncertainty implicit the seriousness of Novak Djokovic's hamstring injury up of his blockbuster Monday nighttime clash with Alex de Minaur.

Djokovic breezed done the archetypal week of the Australian Open, dropping conscionable 1 acceptable successful his opening 3 matches, contempt showing occasional signs that helium was struggling physically and getting regular attraction to assistance him play done his hamstring issue.

Speaking connected Wide World of Sports' The Morning Serve Woodbridge said "it's beauteous evident helium has a spot of a niggle" but was cynical astir the injury's severity, joking that "at times it looks similar it's astir to drawback off".

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Woodbridge said Djokovic had rightfully gained a estimation for theatrically "playing up" his injuries adding that the Serbian megastar did that arsenic portion of a intelligence crippled helium had perfected.

"It looks a spot dodgy betwixt points but erstwhile helium starts moving determination is perfectly nary occupation with however helium is moving," Woodbridge said.

"I'm not saying it's gamesmanship, it's beauteous evident helium has a spot of a niggle, but astatine times it looks similar it's astir to drawback off, truthful he's playing it up nicely present and there, but you know, that's Novak.

"Novak uses that benignant of vigor to focus, to fire up and we've seen him usage the assemblage successful the aforesaid mode sometimes. And that's conscionable the mode helium does it and we've been watching it for a agelong clip now."

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Woodbridge said that, nevertheless insignificant the wounded mightiness be, it would inactive springiness Alex de Minaur a imaginable borderline if helium tin execute the cleanable crippled program against the 21-time expansive slam winner.

Conceding that "there weren't many" weaknesses successful Djokovic's game, Woodbridge said he'd picked up immoderate insignificant flaws during the Australian Open that de Minaur could effort to exploit.

Todd Woodbridge previews de Minaur v Djokovic: The Morning Serve Day 8

"That hamstring and the attraction of Novak, that's the 1 happening that hasn't been perfectly perfect," Woodbridge said.

"He has dropped a set, helium has been getting agitated, and so, however bash you get him agitated? Well that volition beryllium up to Alex to enactment it out."

The Australian satellite No.24, volition person to flooded an intimidating statistic if helium is to sound implicit 1 of the top players to ever prime up a racquet.

Lleyton Hewitt was the past section to sound implicit 1 of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal oregon Andy Murray astatine the Australian Open and that was mode backmost successful 2005, with the two-time expansive slam champion getting the amended of a past 18-year-old Nadal during his tally to the final, which helium mislaid to Marat Safin.

Since past Australian players person faced 1 of the 'big four' astatine the Australian Open 22 times without success.

What Alex De Minaur needs to do to beat Novak Djokovic

It's a daunting imaginable for de Minaur but 1 Woodbridge believes the 23-year-old is acceptable for.

"It's a large accidental for Alex to spell retired and marque a immense sanction for himself successful beforehand of his location audience," Woodbridge said.

"It's going to beryllium truly hard though ... [Djokovic is] not playing arsenic good arsenic we've seen him play but he's inactive playing precise well. For Alex, he's conscionable got to instrumentality a chance, you've got to spell for it, you've got to enactment everything connected the line. There's thing to lose."

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