2 things that stood out in Novak Djokovic's 3R win over Gael Monfils at 2023 Cincinnati Open

Second seed Novak Djokovic beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 in the third round of the 2023 Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday, August 17. The 36-year-old finished the match off in less than a couple of hours to book his place in the quarterfinal.

It was Djokovic’s 19th straight win against Monfils, thereby extending his perfect head-to-head record against the Frenchman and becoming the most lopsided head-to-head record in the Open Era.

Djokovic will face ninth seed Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal on Friday. The 23-time Grand Slam champion looks good for a showdown with top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the final unless an upset takes place in between.

On that note, let us take a look at two things that stood out in the match:

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#1. Djokovic committed far fewer errors than Monfils in the match

Djokovic was clinical as usual against Monfils, committing fewer errors than the latter. Monfils was marginally ahead in terms of winners (23) compared to the Serb (22), but the latter committed far fewer unforced errors.

The Frenchman fought well to hold his serve in his first three service games, but Djokovic then broke him in the eighth game of the set. He then served out the set quite easily to draw the first blood and put Monfils under pressure.

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#2. Djokovic reigned supreme with his down-the-line shots and volleys in the second set

Djokovic was in his element in the second set, racing to a 5-0 lead, offering little respite to his 36-year-old opponent. The Serb upped the ante by hitting quite a few down-the-line winners to show his aggressive intent. Monfils, meanwhile, hardly had any answer to the 39-year-old's aggressive stroke play.

Djokovic also showed his net skills extensively in the second set. He hit a few volley winners, including a delectable one in the fourth game. However, Monfils managed to break back once to avoid a bagel and reduce the deficit to 2-5. Still, the former World No. 1 had no problem serving the match out in the subsequent game to set up a showdown with Fritz.

Monfils struggled heavily with his second serve against a returner of Djokovic’s caliber in the match. He was able to win only 62% of the points on his second serve in the match, while Djokovic managed 75%. The Frenchman was broken four times in the match, thereby handing the 36-year-old an easy victory.