The king of the ball is also in awe of Serena Williams! Deyo: I was a little nervous to see Serena Williams come to watch the game

On Tuesday, March 25, Djokovic faces Musetti in the fourth round of the Miami Open. Although the Serb holds an overwhelming 7-1 head-to-head record, the match is still in suspense given the pair's recent form.

However, Djokovic showed much more quality than Musetti in all aspects of the game. He won comfortably 6-2 6-2 to extend their head-to-head record to 8-1. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Musetti said the six-time Miami Open champions' form seemed to be an improvement over their previous matches.

"Compared to the previous eight times I've played him, I think Djokovic played a step up yesterday. It's hard to believe, it's hard to imagine, but it's the most real feeling I've ever felt on the field. "I was able to keep up with the rhythm except at the beginning of the game, and from a certain point in time I couldn't threaten him from the baseline. Novak's returns are consistently accurate, and his serve success rate is also very high. At some point, he really got to the point where he couldn't fight it. ”

Interestingly, when Djokovic played against Musetti, he was a little excited to see Serena Williams in attendance. The 24-time Grand Slam champion comfortably beat the Italian 6-2 6-2 to advance to the quarter-finals. His "cheering group" included tennis star Del Potro and Olympic judo gold medallist Kayla Harrison.

Previously, Serena Williams was in attendance to watch Djokovic fight for gold against Alcaraz at the Paris 2024 Olympics. At that time, the Serb put in a great match, beating the young Spanish player to claim the first Olympic gold medal of his career. At the Miami Open, Djokovic continued to be strong and showed that he was recovering from injury.

In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Djokovic expressed his gratitude for Serena Williams' presence. He admits that he felt a little nervous while Serena Williams was sitting on the sidelines watching the game, but he still gave his best to show his best.

"Serena watched live, and I think this could be the first time for her, or at most the second time she's seen me play. So, no doubt, I was a little nervous. Djokovic joked.

He also thanked his old rival and good friend Del Potro for his support during the match. "Del Potro was also in the box, he was a long-time friend and rival of mine. So, yes, I have to put on a show and I have to play well in front of them. I think I'm doing a good job. Djokovic added.

Djokovic admitted that he had asked tennis legend Serena Williams for feedback during the match. In his post-match interview, he said that after winning a straight crossing winner in the second set, he pointed to Williams and asked her for her opinion. Serena Jr. nodded slightly in approval, much to the Serb's satisfaction, and humorously said that if Serena thought the ball was good, it would have been "wonderful" to everyone else.

"In fact, when I hit that straight cross, I pointed to her and asked her what she thought. She nodded a little and meant 'well, okay'. If Serena Williams says it's good, it's definitely a stroke of genius in the eyes of others. So, yes, it's great that they're here to support. ”

Next, Djokovic will face 24-year-old American Korda in the quarterfinals. The American is getting better in Miami and has had a strong start to the 2025 season, reaching the final in Adelaide, but then his form has slipped. In Miami, he defeated ninth seeds Tsitsipas and Monfils in quick succession to advance to the quarterfinals.

This will be the second meeting between Korda and Novak Djokovic, with the Serb currently holding a 1-0 lead over the head-to-head record.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)