Australian Open: Djokovic Sets New Record for Grand Slam Matches Played
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Synopsis
Novak Djokovic has broken Roger Federer's record by playing his 430th Grand Slam singles match at the Australian Open, progressing to the third round with a win over Jaime Faria.
Key Takeaways
- Djokovic now holds the record for most Grand Slam matches played.
- Defeated Jaime Faria in the second round.
- Aiming for his 25th major title.
- Next opponent is Tomas Machac.
- Seeking to become the oldest Grand Slam champion.
Melbourne, Jan 15 (NationPress) The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has surpassed Swiss icon Roger Federer to establish the record for the most major singles matches played by any player, having participated in his 430th Grand Slam singles match.
The 10-time Australian Open champion triumphed over 21-year-old qualifier Jaime Faria with a score of 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday, thus exceeding Federer's previous record of 429 matches.
Djokovic has advanced to the third round of the season's first major tournament for the 17th time in 20 appearances, as he aims for his 25th major singles title and 100th tour-level victory.
“I believe I responded well in the third and especially in the fourth set, the way I concluded the match. He was playing exceptional tennis towards the end of the second set and the start of the third. I had to endure the challenge. He was effectively serving two first serves throughout the match,” Djokovic stated, as reported by the ATP website.
“It's challenging to face someone like that who has nothing to lose. He's a tall, young player, and I told him at the net that the future looks bright for him; he should keep pushing forward,” Djokovic added.
Next, Djokovic will face 26th-seeded Czech player Tomas Machac, who won against Reilly Opelka with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 earlier on Wednesday. The two have faced each other twice before in 2023 and 2024, with Machac winning their most recent encounter in last year’s Geneva semi-finals.
Djokovic is aiming to become the oldest player in the Open Era to clinch a Grand Slam title, a record held by Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at the age of 37 years and 62 days. By the end of this tournament in Melbourne, Djokovic will be 37 years and 249 days old.
