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Novak Djokovic: surviving the heat at Melbourne Park

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts in his second round match against Gael Monfils of France on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts in his second round match against Gael Monfils of France on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) /
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Novak Djokovic continues to survive the heat in Melbourne this week. The six-time Australian Open champion is into the third round at the Grand Slam.

Novak Djokovic took to Twitter to joke about the heat in Melbourne the other day. In his second round match against French tennis star Gael Monfils, the Serbian survived the heat and came away with a win. He defeats Monfils in four sets, winning 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-3.

Calling the conditions “brutal,” the former champion managed to play through the rough conditions. Monfils appeared to struggle in the heat starting midway through the second set.

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Up next for Djokovic is the No. 21 seed Albert Ramos Viñolas of Spain. He is yet to drop a single set so far at Melbourne Park. Djokovic will, however, remain the favorite in their upcoming match. While the Serbian is still bouncing back from time away due to injury, his vast experience at the Grand Slam in Melbourne is almost unparalleled.

Novak Djokovic is into the third round at the Australian Open.

While the heat came close to extreme levels, play was not suspended. Players must keep the conditions at the first Grand Slam of the calendar year in mind at all times. Heat, humidity, and wind all can play a large factor in the outcome of any match.

It is quite common to see players taking full advantage of cold or ice towels during breaks. Especially if a match is going back and forth, the brief moments of rest can make all the difference.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

Elsewhere at the 2018 Australian Open, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal continue to advance. Federer faces French tennis star Richard Gasquet in his third round match. Nadal, the top seed, faces Diego Schwartzman of Argentina. The Spanish superstar is already into the fourth round of play at Melbourne Park. Stay tuned to see how Novak Djokovic and others fare throughout the rest of the Australian Open.

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