The tennis world saw the making of yet another history-making moment when Novak Djokovic overcame another record set by Roger Federer. The Serbian has now played the most Grand Slam singles matches.
The Swiss held a record of playing 429 major singles matches up to the start of this year’s Australian Open before Djokovic finally surpassed this figure by playing his 430th match. This monumental achievement came during the second round of the Australian Open, where Djokovic defeated 21-year-old Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria in four sets: 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2.
The victory also did as much to affirm Djokovic as one of, if not the greatest men’s singles tennis player, as it paved his way to the third round of the tournament for the 17th time in the 20 Australian Open events. The Serb said he was thankful to have made another achievement on the ATP tour and discussed the importance of the four Grand Slam events in his whole career.
Novak Djokovic was good and bad against Jaime Faria, a Grand Slam debutant. The first set was about him asserting dominance, which he enterprisingly won 6-1. Nevertheless, Faria’s prowess was evident in the second set, where he hit with ferocity from the baseline and showcased brilliant movement to clinch the tiebreak. The match was much closer than the first two, but the Serb’s important experiences and calmness propelled him to victory in the final two sets.
In his 430th Grand Slam match, Novak Djokovic wrote himself further into the tennis fabric. Many thought Roger Federer’s record could not be beaten, which indicated his longevity. Nevertheless, Djokovic has never ceased to challenge the standards and set new marks in men’s tennis.
That will be it with the Australian Open for Djokovic’s journey having just begun. Winning in Melbourne this year will put him at the top individually in the list of Grand slam wins, male/female, which Margaret Court has held. Also, this would be the 100th ATP tour-level title of his career, another incredible achievement.
The 37-year-old, seeded seventh in the tournament, does not seem to be showing it. Now, Djokovic has Andy Murray, his former rival, who has joined his coaching team. The Serb is merging his experience with desire. He will meet Czech 26-seeded Tomas Machac in the third round to set his dominance in the first major of the season.
Novak Djokovic’s new record shows yet another episode in the already glorious career of the man. It just goes to show how consistently great this man is, how determined he is, and how much he loves the sport of tennis. While he is still aggressive for the 25th Grand Slam and 100th ATP title, the Serb is a role model for setting standards. Regardless of whether he does this to the letter of the targets laid down in his contract, his place among the greats will always be cherished.
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