Novak Djokovic dropped a set but regrouped to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday and in doing so, he surpassed fellow great Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam singles matches played.
The 37-year-old faced stiff resistance from fearless Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria before winning 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena to set up a clash with Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac.
It was Djokovic's 430th Slam contest to claim sole ownership of most singles matches played, men or women, in the Open era ahead of Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423).
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No one else has played 400 or more.
"I love this sport, I love competition," said Djokovic, who is into the third round in Melbourne for a 17th straight year.
"I try to give my best every single time. It's been over 20 years that I've been competing in Grand Slams at the highest level.
"Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I'm just blessed to be making another record."
A battle out there today. Thank you Melbourne for your energy 🫶🏼 and well played Jaime Faria, a bright future for sure. Blessed to break another record for most grand slam matches. I love this sport 🎾. Idemooo 🇷🇸 pic.twitter.com/FKHLsMkr3k
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 15, 2025
Djokovic was given a fright in the first round by American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy, ranked 107, who also pushed him to four sets.
The Serb said afterwards that the way he fought back boded well in his quest for an 11th Australian Open title and record 25th Grand Slam crown.
Watched once again by new coach Andy Murray, he was more like his old self to start against 125th-ranked Faria, barely giving the 21-year-old a look in.
Djokovic opened his account with a service hold to love then pounced to break Faria for 3-1 when a backhand went long.
"I'll always leave my heart out on the court" 💙
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 15, 2025
Novak Djokovic reacts to becoming the player with the most Grand Slam singles match appearances in the Open Era 📈 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/KddshjDvQ7
He was well into his groove and another break for 5-1 sent him on his way to the opening set in just 30 minutes.
The big-serving Faria's victory in the first round against Pavel Kotov was his maiden Tour-level win and the inexperienced youngster appeared to be out of his depth.
Miraculously he rallied in the second set as Djokovic's frustrations bubbled to the surface, breaking twice to race 4-2 clear.
Faria lost his nerve serving for the set at 5-3, broken to love with Djokovic producing a gold-plated crosscourt winner to haul himself back.
It went to a tiebreak where this time Faria made no mistake, taking the set with a quality drop shot, pumping his fists in celebration.
But seasoned campaigner Djokovic reset and with the stadium roof now closed due to rain, he flicked a switch to take charge of the third set as Faria began wilting.
The Portuguese battler was spent with Djokovic's composure and experience coming to the fore as he romped through the fourth set to stay on track for another title.
"He was playing lights-out tennis," said Djokovic. "He's a young guy. I told him at the net the future is bright for him."
ALCARAZ 'REALLY, REALLY HAPPY'
Four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz said he was "really, really happy" with his form after an ominous display of strength to sprint into the third round.
The Spanish third seed showed no mercy to Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka, who was taught a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 lesson on Margaret Court Arena in an 81-minute rout.
"I think I played really solid today," said Alcaraz, who won Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year but is yet to go beyond the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.
"I improved the things that I had to improve from the first match. Just really, really happy with everything today.
"An important win for me. Three straight sets with a really high level. Hopefully continue like this."
Alcaraz tweaked his serve in the off-season and is in Melbourne with a lighter racquet, with the dividends evident.
He fired down 14 aces and won 89 per cent of his first-serve points.
"I'm really happy with the serve today. It's something I worked on in the pre-season," he said.
"In the first round I struggled a bit. But I spent more time yesterday practising my serve, it's something I really want to be better.
"I'm really glad that today it worked pretty well and hopefully in the next round it's going to be better."
Carlos Alcaraz signs the camera after hitting 14 aces today at Australian Open:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 15, 2025
“Am I a serve bot?” 😂 pic.twitter.com/VaINiwiYDf
Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest men's winner in Australia since Novak Djokovic won the first of his 10 titles in 2008.
Should he do so, he will also be the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, with his sizzling form so far boding well for the 21-year-old.
He eased through his first-round match in straight sets and came out firing against the 65th-ranked Nishioka.
The Japanese player could barely get his racquet on the ball in the first set, winning just two from 16 points at the baseline and only four points in the entire set.
Alcaraz pounded down five aces in the second set and won a formidable 91 per cent on first serve to give Nishioka no chance.
The Japanese player did his best to make a match of it in the third set, but the gulf in class was too wide with the win a formality.
"The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better," added Alcaraz,
"Physically I'm feeling great, and I was just focused with spending as little time as I can on court."
He will next play Portugal's Nuno Borges, who beat Australia's Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
TEENAGER MENSIK DEFEATS SIXTH SEED RUUD
Three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud was sent tumbling out of the Australian Open in the second round by fast-rising Czech teenager Jakub Mensik on Wednesday, the highest men's seed to fall.
The Norwegian sixth seed had no answers to the power and intensity of the 19-year-old, who stormed past him 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Margaret Court Arena for the biggest win of his burgeoning career.
Ruud fell victim to another of tennis's up-and-coming young brigade who are gunning to challenge the established order.
NextGen winner Joao Fonseca, 18, beat ninth seed Andrey Rublev on Tuesday.
A third teenager, American Learner Tien, who lost to Fonseca in the NextGen final, faces fifth seed Daniil Medvedev on Thursday.
"I feel great. Casper was playing really good from the beginning, it was really tough," said Mensik, who also played in the NextGen finals.
"After the second set when it was 1-1, I just tried to play the same, focus on my game.
"That was a key for me today because against a player like this, best of five sets is not that easy."
Ruud, who surged to a career-high two in 2022 when he made the French and US Open finals, said before the tournament he was eyeing a move back into the top five this season.
His other goal was playing better at Grand Slams, with that dream in tatters.
ZVEREV CRUISES INTO THIRD ROUND
World number two Alexander Zverev kept his Australian Open title charge on track Wednesday with a straight-sets victory over Spain's Pedro Martinez.
The German proved too hot to handle for his fellow 27-year-old, sweeping into round three with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 win in under two hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Zverev, who is looking to better the semi-final he made last year, will now meet Britain's Jacob Fearnley who overcame Frenchman Arthur Cazaux in four sets.
"Usually I play 7-6 in the fifth, four-and-a-half hours, but I'm getting older," Zverev, who is pursuing a maiden major crown, joked afterwards.
"I have to maybe shorten things up a little bit. Hopefully, more to come in the later rounds."
Zverev was rarely troubled by Martinez, who has never been beyond the third round at a Grand Slam before.
Zverev broke immediately with a backhand winner and powered through the first set in 34 minutes, crunching 10 winners.
Martinez, ranked 44, perked up in the second set, holding his own until Zverev pounced with back-to-back forehands from the baseline to earn a break for 3-2 and he never relented.
The German raced to a two-set lead and an early break for 2-0 in the third sent him on his way to a straightforward victory.
Zverev enjoyed one of his best seasons ever last year, but a Grand Slam title has remained elusive for nearly a decade.
Runner-up finishes at the 2020 US Open and French Open last year are his best efforts so far.