**MELBOURNE, Australia**
Novak Djokovic has once again etched his name in the history of tennis, surpassing Roger Federer to become the player with the most Grand Slam matches played. He achieved this milestone on Wednesday at the Australian Open, reaching a total of 430 matches, despite facing a stiffer competition than anticipated in the second round.
Djokovic’s career record at Grand Slam tournaments now stands at an impressive 379 wins and 51 losses, giving him a winning percentage of .881. He secured victory against Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria, aged 21, with the final score of 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2, during a match that saw a brief interruption due to light rain before the retractable roof at Rod Laver Arena was closed.
Reflecting on the significance of Grand Slam events, Djokovic remarked, “Grand Slams, of course, they are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of the sport. … Definitely the most important tournaments. I’m just blessed to be making another record, I guess, today.”
Djokovic’s list of accolades is extensive, including the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles for any man at 24, followed by Rafael Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20, both of whom have since retired. The 37-year-old Serbian has also held the No. 1 ranking for more weeks than any other player and has reached 37 Grand Slam finals, exceeding Federer’s former record by six finals.
The future looks promising for Djokovic, with potential accolades still on the horizon. If he were to win this year’s Australian Open, it would mark his 25th Grand Slam title, an achievement no male or female player has attained to date. Additionally, it would mark his 11th Australian Open win, tying him with Margaret Court for the highest number achieved at this tournament. Such a victory would also place him as the oldest male player to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era, narrowly surpassing Ken Rosewall’s 1972 Australian Open win. Lastly, this would bring his tour-level tournament titles to 100, putting him behind only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) for men’s titles in the Open era.
Despite his impressive achievements, Djokovic’s week in Australia hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. This tournament marks his first experience working with former rival Andy Murray as his coach. His matches to date have involved pushing through four sets against opponents making their Grand Slam debut. In the first round, he faced American Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old who turned professional just last month and who is ranked 107th. In the second round, Faria, currently ranked 125th, put up a tougher fight, particularly during a significant four-game succession in the second set.
“He was playing lights-out tennis. … I had to weather the storm,” Djokovic noted, acknowledging the challenge. “I think I responded very well in the third and, particularly the fourth, (sets).”
