Borna Gojo will be aiming to cause a major upset when he takes on the three-time champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday.
Djokovic was pushed to the limit by Laslo Djere in the third round on Friday, with the 36-year-old having to come from two sets down before prevailing 3-2.
Match preview
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Gojo, on the other hand, is yet to drop a single set across the opening three rounds, which is a remarkably impressive feat for a player competing at only his third Grand Slam.
The Croatian, who could be considered something of a late bloomer given that he will turn 26-years-old in February, also had to come through three qualifying rounds before defeating Hugo Dellien, Mackenzie McDonald and Jiri Vesely each in straight sets.
At 6ft 5in tall, this emerging talent - who only turned professional three years ago - packs a powerful serve, having hit 38 aces across those three wins, most impressively winning 90% of points on his first serve against the dangerous Vesely.
While he will clearly be a huge underdog when he takes on Djokovic this weekend, Gojo does possess some big-match experience having played a huge part in helping Croatia reach the Davis Cup final two years ago, which may stand him good in stead when dealing with any nerves given the magnitude of this encounter.
However, while Gojo may hope to see his serve and developing all-round game help him compete against Djokovic, mental fortitude and general nous on the court is one area where he will almost certainly fall short.
No player in history has won as many Grand Slam titles as Djokovic's tally of 23, which he will desperately be hoping to increase before the month is out after suffering the disappointment of losing the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz in July.
The 36-year-old arguably regained the edge over his newest nemesis by coming from behind to defeat the Spaniard in the Cincinnati Masters final last month, though, with that astonishing never-say-die attitude on full display once again when producing a similar comeback against his compatriot Djere on Friday.
Slow starts have become an increasingly common theme for Djokovic, who was broken in the first game of the match, and he admitted that he had to pull himself together during a break in the second set. "I did a pep talk in the mirror; it worked. I laughed at myself because I was so agitated and annoyed with the game. I had to force myself to lift my spirits."
For the eighth time in his career, he managed to fight back from two sets behind and comfortably prevail in the end, losing just five games across the final three sets despite a late rally from Djere. He will hope for a much more comfortable win against his qualifier opponent on Sunday, potentially one week before another epic showdown against Alcaraz in a final.
Tournament so far
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Borna Gojo:
First round: vs. Hugo Dellien 6-3 6-3 6-1
Second round: vs. Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-3 6-4
Third round: vs. Jiri Vesely 6-4 6-3 6-2
Novak Djokovic:
First round: vs. Alexandre Muller 6-0 6-2 6-3
Second round: vs. Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-4 6-1 6-1
Third round: vs. Laslo Djere 4-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-3
Head To Head
With Gojo only turning professional three years ago, these two players are yet to meet on the ATP Tour, meaning Sunday's fourth round clash will be their first career meeting.
We say: Djokovic to win in straight sets
Gojo has performed remarkably well at this tournament, losing only 28 games across his three straight-set victories, while Djokovic showed that there are a few chinks in his armour before fighting back to defeat Djere in the third round.
However, it is rare for the all-time record men's Grand Slam holder to perform below par for two successive matches, and we expect him to start much quicker heading into the second week of the US Open. There may be a tie-break or two given Gojo's strong serving, but we expect the 36-year-old to prevail in straight sets.
Brett Curtis
