Yet to drop a set in this year's Australian Open, Argentine 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry seeks to pull off the improbable when he tackles reigning champion Novak Djokovic in Friday's third-round showdown at the Rod Laver Arena.
While the world number one needed four sets to overcome both of Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin, an in-form Etcheverry has comfortably sent two other veterans in Andy Murray and Gael Monfils packing thus far.
Match preview
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Distractions ranged from a niggling illness to an unwelcome heckler for Djokovic during Wednesday's second-round affair with the aggressive and big-serving Popyrin, who followed in the footsteps of Prizmic and capitalised on a second-set lull from the champion to the elation of the home crowd.
Uncharacteristic forehand errors were the bane of Djokovic's game during the mid-point of the match, but as has been the case throughout his illustrious career, the 24-time major winner found a way as he triumphed 6-3 4-6 7-6[4] 6-3 with three hours and 11 minutes on the clock, getting the job done in 49 fewer minutes than against Prizmic.
Fifty-two winners from the Popyrin racquet flew past Djokovic, although the Australian's high-risk, high-reward strategy also saw him commit 58 errors compared to 32 from Djokovic - 23 of which came on the forehand side - and the momentum well and truly swung when the Serbian saved four set points in the third.
Not until Djokovic's fifth match point did he finally send Popyrin packing, but while the 36-year-old has not been at his scintillating best Down Under so far, he undoubtedly remains one of the names to beat and ought to revert to some of his old ways once his irritating illness clears up.
Djokovic's second-round success marked the Serbian's astonishing 30th win in a row on the Australian Open surface, and he has notably never suffered a third-round defeat in the opening major of the year, offering an in-shape Etcheverry the chance to write a piece of Grand Slam history.
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The South American continues his run of facing players in the twilight of their careers this week, having clashed with 36-year-old Murray and 37-year-old Monfils Down Under so far, two well-travelled players with numerous Grand Slam match victories under their belt.
However, the 24-year-old's youthful energy and overwhelming power won out in both instances, as after only dropping a total of eight games during his crushing win over Murray, the South American also navigated his way past Monfils without dropping a set, taking two hours and 12 minutes to prevail 6-4 6-4 6-4.
Monfils's mistakes were to blame for the Frenchman's exit as much as Etcheverry's steady performance, as the Argentine committed only 22 unforced errors compared to a staggering 55 for Monfils, who also managed to take just one of the five break points he forged on the day.
In between Etcheverry's two singles successes, the Argentine and Francisco Cerundolo suffered a comprehensive doubles defeat to Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, but Etcheverry should not be losing sleep over that reverse as he gears up for his first-ever Australian Open third-round match, having continued his theme of going one better each year.
Indeed, Etcheverry went out in round one in 2022 before being eliminated at the second hurdle in 2023, and should the 24-year-old win a third-round Grand Slam match for just the second time in his career, either Adrian Mannarino or Ben Shelton will stand in his way of a quarter-final spot.
Tournament so far
Novak Djokovic:
First round: vs. Dino Prizmic 6-2 6-7[5] 6-3 6-4
Second round: vs. Alexei Popyrin 6-3 4-6 7-6[4] 6-3
Tomas Martin Etcheverry:
First round: vs. Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 6-2
Second round: vs. Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 6-4
Head To Head
Paris Masters (2023) - Second round: Djokovic wins 6-3 6-2
Italian Open (2023) - Second round: Djokovic wins 7-6[5] 6-2
Both of Djokovic and Etcheverry's previous meetings came in prestigious tournaments during the 2023 season, and while Etcheverry has not dropped a set in this year's Australian Open so far, he is yet to win one against the reigning champion.
Clay was the surface for the pair's inaugural meeting in the second round of the Italian Open, where Djokovic was taken to a first set tie-breaker but held his nerve before enjoying a simple stroll to the finish line in the second set.
It has been just over two-and-a-half months since the pair last locked horns on the ATP Tour - taking to indoor hard courts in the second round of the Paris Masters - where Djokovic cruised to an even more straightforward success, beating away the one break point Etcheverry fashioned en route to taking the title home.
We say: Djokovic to win in four sets
Having triumphed against Monfils with a more conservative display, Etcheverry - despite his 6ft 5in frame - may try to match defence with defence against the returning master that is Djokovic, although the Serbian should still be expected to come out on top in any lengthy baseline rallies.
Djokovic's ongoing physical problems should rule out the prospect of an elusive straight-sets victory, but while Etcheverry has already taken out two of the tour's senior pros, we cannot see him repeating the trick against the reigning champion, whom he did not put up much of a fight against in Paris.
Ben Knapton
