Djokovic advances to Australian Open quarterfinals

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Lleyton Hewitt of Australia during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the fifth straight year with a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt on Monday night.

Djokovic, aiming to become only the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive majors after collecting the Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles last year, was up two sets and a break before Hewitt rallied to win six consecutive games and force a fourth set.

But the 30-year-old former U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion couldn’t sustain the comeback and his 16th campaign at the Australian Open ended. There are no Australians remaining in the men’s or women’s singles draws.

Djokovic will next play No. 5 David Ferrer.