“Mentally, I think you have to accept that I did come into the game knowing that I would probably feel pain all the time, which was the case,” Djokovic told reporters after the victory. ‘But the level of pain was bearable, so I could actually play and it was a bit on and off during the game.
“But I somehow managed to find a way and win, and that’s what matters most. Now I have another 40 hours or so until the next game, which is great with grand slams.
“The medical team told me it’s a gamble while I’m in court. It could do a lot more damage, but it could go in a good direction. I do not know until I stop taking painkillers, “Hide what’s really happening. I’ll take the time after that.”
Roger Federer is the only man to have previously reached the 300-win mark on grand slams, while sitting at 362 all the way ahead. Rafael Nadal is third at 285.
This is the 12th time in the last 14 years that Djokovic has reached the Australian Open quarter-finals and the German Alex Zverev for the eight-time champion.
Third seed Dominic Thiem was a surprise loser on Friday and descended with a whimper in straight sets to Grigor Dimitrov. The Austrian, who won his first grand slam title at the US Open last year, fought back from two sets against favorite Nick Kyrgios on Friday, but the five-set epic seemed to drain him physically and mentally.
Dimitrov will play Russian Aslan Karatsev, a surprising quarterfinalist, for a place in the final four.