Pumped-up defending champion Novak Djokovic survived an early test from dangerous American Frances Tiafoe, who pushed him to four gruelling sets while Marton Fucsovics saved three match points to knock out former champion Stan Wawrinka in the fifth-set tiebreak at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The Serbian top seed looked in control after taking the first set, but lightning-quick Tiafoe, who reached the quarter-finals two years ago, refused to go quietly. He bounced back to take a close second set before Djokovic dug deep to emerge a 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 winner and continue his relentless march towards a ninth Australian Open title.
He will next play another American, either Taylor Fritz or Reilly Opelka.
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Djokovic, who dropped only six games in his opening round clash, had never played Tiafoe, but quickly adapted. On a hot day, with ice towels being used for the…