FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 9, 2021 General view during the first round match between Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas and France's Gilles Simon. Crowd capacity for this years event has been capped at 30,000 following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic had his hands full against American Frances Tiafoe but the Serbian rose to the occasion to claim a 6-3 6-7(3) 7-6(2) 6-3 win and reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Tiafoe's sparkling tennis revived memories of his run to the 2019 quarter-finals but Djokovic dug deep to keep his quest for a record-extending ninth title at Melbourne Park alive.
