An even 400 in Grand Slams and 102 in Australia: Novak Djokovic just keeps setting tennis records.
The 24-time major winner became the first player to reach 400 wins in Grand Slam singles when he beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Saturday night in the third round of the Australian Open.
It improved his win-loss record to 102-10 at the Australian Open, equaling Roger Federer’s career haul for the most match wins at the season’s first major.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open 10 times, more than anyone else. At 38, he is in Australia aiming for a 25th career major that would make him the most decorated tennis player of all time.
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He was in control from the start against van de Zandschulp and was untroubled except for a few moments in the third set — when he tripped and tumbled to the court in the third game and when he faced two set points in the 12th.
A medical timeout at the changeover after the third game, when the trainer taped the ball of his right foot, and a forehand winner down the line diffused the first two of those issues.
As Djokovic faced his second set point, chair umpire John Blom had to urge the crowd, repeatedly, not to make noise between the first and second serves.
An animated Djokovic saved the next one too, pretending to head the ball like a soccer player as the Dutchman’s shot sailed over the baseline.
The crowd chanted “Nole, Nole, Nole” in support before he produced a winning serve to force a tiebreaker, which he won.
Djokovic was happy to be playing a night match on a day when the tournament’s extreme heat policy had to be invoked and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner struggled before advancing in the afternoon conditions.
“I managed to have a ‘good’ fall if you can say so. I could protect myself,” Djokovic said of the tumble. “Things could have been pretty ugly.”
He said his body is feeling good for this stage of the tournament, but he is not getting too far ahead of himself after reaching the semifinals at all four majors last year.
“I must say, it’s been a great start of the tournament,” he said. “Last year I learned a lesson. I got too excited too early in some of the Grand Slams … getting injured three out of four.”
Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz split the four majors between them, and while Djokovic concedes “they’re playing on a different level right now,” he added: “I’m still trying to give these young guys a push for their money.”
With his first-round win over Pedro Martinez, Djokovic equaled two tennis records by starting his 21st Australian Open and his 81st Grand Slam event, and he added another milestone with his 100th win at Melbourne Park.
That made him the first man to win 100 or more matches on three surfaces at the Grand Slams, with his 102 on grass at Wimbledon and 101 on clay at Roland Garros.
Djokovic also apologized for almost hitting a ball girl in an act that could have put his Australian Open hopes in jeopardy.
The incident in the second set might have proved costly, with Djokovic carelessly sending a ball flying close to the head of a ball girl at the net.
He was famously disqualified from the US Open in 2020 after hitting a line judge with a ball struck in annoyance, and there have been several other instances where he has risked the same outcome.
Djokovic held his hands up, saying: “I apologize for that. That was not necessary and in the heat of the moment. I was lucky there, and I’m sorry for causing any distress to the ball kid or anybody.”
Information from The Associated Press and PA was used in this report.
