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Ten-time AO champion Novak Djokovic is hoping to smash through his next opponent Jakub Mensik in three sets, but predicts the Czech star is a good candidate for a future grand slam title.

In the Serbian-language press conference following his third-round victory late on Saturday, Djokovic praised Mensik’s big service and backhand and said he could tell Mensik was a top player even when he was a teenager.

“He definitely had all predispositions – his game and mentality – to be a top 10, five [player] or a candidate for grand slam titles,” Djokovic said.

The superb Serb, who is 38, is trying to rest as much as he can and is taking this tournament “day by day”.

“I try not to think too far ahead ... the state I’m in, I feel physically the best I’ve felt in a long time, and that’s what I expected considering the time I had to rest and prepare for Australia,” Djokovic said.

“I’m mostly focusing on what needs to be done to win as quickly as possible, in three sets if possible, which was the case today and all three matches so far.

“I will go day by day, not match by match … to see how I go tomorrow, so the decision will be whether I train or not train, at what time, depending on the schedule.”

Djokovic was asked about hitting a ball in anger, which nearly connected with a ballkid. If that had happened, he would have been disqualified, as was the case at the US Open in 2020 when he accidentally hit a ball which hit a line umpire.

“It wasn’t necessary, in that moment there was tension and things happened. Thank God it ended well, both for me and the ballkid,” he said of last night’s antics.

Djokovic had earlier apologised for his actions at the AO.

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