Djokovic gets his swagger back
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China Daily, June 29, 2011
Novak Djokovic rediscovered his swagger as he brushed aside France's Michael Llodra at Wimbledon on Monday to set up a quarterfinal clash with the teenager whose inventive shot-making has lit up the championships.
The Serbian second seed, who experienced the full gamut of emotions in his third-round victory over Marcos Baghdatis on Saturday, remained assuredly placid as he coolly disposed of his French opponent 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in just one hour and 41 minutes.
Djokovic will now face his friend and hitting partner Bernard Tomic, who at 18 became the youngest player to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Boris Becker in 1986.
The Australian came through qualifying and is ranked 158 in the world but he showcased his armory in dispatching Xavier Malisse in straight sets on Monday.
"I think he has a great potential, he is a great talent," a relaxed Djokovic said. "He believes that he can win against the top players, and he has done that very comfortably in the last couple of rounds here. He loves playing on grass and if you analyse his game, he loves playing on the fast surfaces. He doesn't give you a lot of time, he serves really well and he doesn't make many unforced errors."
