Novak Djokovic made history on Wednesday by becoming the player with the most Grand Slam matches played, surpassing Roger Federer’s previous record of 430 matches. Djokovic, now in his 21st Grand Slam season, achieved this milestone on his familiar turf, Rod Laver Arena, as he defeated Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
Reflecting on the achievement, Djokovic, 36, shared his gratitude, saying, “Grand slams are definitely the most important tournament in the world in our sport, and I’m just blessed to be making another record today. It’s been over 130 years of existence of this incredible event.”
Despite an efficient start, Djokovic faced a spirited challenge from Faria, a 21-year-old who was playing in his first Grand Slam main draw. Faria, who had navigated through the qualifiers, impressed with his massive serve, powerful forehand, and solid athleticism. He managed to level the match by taking the second set in a tiebreak, after Djokovic had led 5-2. However, Djokovic regained control in the third set and closed out the match comfortably in the fourth, with Faria unable to sustain his intensity.
“I had to weather the storm,” said Djokovic, praising Faria’s aggressive game. “He was practically serving two first serves the entire match. Not easy to play someone like that who doesn’t have anything to lose. He’s a big guy, very young, so the future is bright for him.”
In a lighter moment, Djokovic shared a quote from Daniil Medvedev, joking, “If the future generation played this way, they’re gonna have everything – money, girls, casino,” before adding, “I just loved that statement, I had to say it.” Djokovic also praised Faria at the net, encouraging the young player to keep pushing forward.
Earlier in the day, Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the third round with a commanding 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka. Alcaraz served brilliantly, firing 14 aces and losing just four points on his first serve. After the match, the Spanish teenager quipped on the camera screen: “Am I a servebot?”
On the women’s side, Naomi Osaka made a successful return to Grand Slam tennis after maternity leave, securing a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over 20th seed Karolína Muchová. After dropping the first set, Osaka turned the match around with two focused sets, dominating the baseline with her aggressive ball-striking. Osaka will now face Belinda Bencic in the third round, who also returned from maternity leave and triumphed 6-1, 7-6(3) over Suzan Lamens.
“I love playing the big opponents,” said Osaka. “That’s where I play my best tennis. I think it’s more interesting as the rounds go on, and the fans probably appreciate it too.”
There was a major upset in the women’s draw as fifth seed Zheng Qinwen, last year’s Australian Open finalist, was defeated 7-6 (3), 6-3 by Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Meanwhile, top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
As the tournament progresses, Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Osaka will look to continue their momentum, while Faria’s impressive performance signals a bright future for the young Portuguese star.
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