Novak Djokovic has cruised through into the Australian Open quarter finals, comprehensively beating Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 6-0, 6-3.
The Serbian has been under an injury cloud both during and throughout the tournament so far and while he was seen in constant dialogue with his concerned coaches up in the box, his health-related struggles didn’t translate on the scoreboard.
Novak Djokovic cruises into Australian Open quarter finals despite health concerns
It took Mannarino until the third set to finally win his first game of the match, sparking jubilant scenes in the stands at Rod Laver Arena.
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But by then the damage had already been well and truly done with Djokovic easing through in straight sets after just one hour and 44 minutes out on court.
Despite the victory, Djokovic looked compromised during extended rallies as Jim Courier explained on Nine’s commentary that the 24-time Grand Slam winner was obviously struggling.
"Djokovic is one of the most silent assassins we have seen in tennis – he doesn't grunt until late in the match or if the point gets really long," Courier said.
"He was grunting in the last game on every point. He is without question physically wounded at the moment.”
The match started with a titanic tussle between the two veterans in the opening three games of the contest, with fans looking on track to enjoy a close battle.
However, Djokovic raced away from the 20th seed to bagel him in the opening set, before repeating the dose in the second as Mannarino had no answers for the Serbian’s efficiency.
"Something is still not right inside his body because his energy levels are not what we are used to seeing," Courier said.
"It may not show it on the scoreboard, but Novak is showing his mental toughness. He's trying to be as efficient as possible."
Novak Djokovic comments on health concerns after fourth round Australian Open win
Post-match, Djokovic claimed he was happy with his ruthless display as he advanced into his 58th Grand Slam quarter final.
"The first two sets are some of the best sets I’ve played in a while," Djokovic said.
"I played great from the first to the last point. It’s never easy to play Mannarino who is very unorthodox.
"You always want to be efficient and finish the job as quickly as possible. But it’s not always easy as you progress through the tournament and face tougher opponents."
The 10-time Aussie Open champion claimed that despite concerns around his condition, he was actually improving after admitting earlier in the tournament that a wrist injury and illness had hampered him Down Under.
"I wasn’t thinking about it, and I was going with the flow," Djokovic said. "I’ve felt better the last few days so it’s getting positive."
Who will Novak Djokovic play in the Aus Open quarter finals?
A quarter final meeting now awaits Djokovic against either the man who he beat in last year’s final - Stefanos Tsitsipas - or world No. 12 Taylor Fritz.
"Hopefully, they go for five sets over six hours with some rain interruptions and light malfunctions to take them through to tomorrow," Djokovic joked when asked for his thoughts on his potential opponent.
The Serbian will now get to enjoy an extended rest after wrapping up his match in straight sets, while also being bumped from his usual prime time night slot at Rod Laver Arena for Australian Alex De Minaur’s clash against Andrey Rublev.
"The way I played today, I don’t mind playing in the day," Djokovic added.
"It’s not secret I love to play at 7pm, but today wasn’t too bad."