MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic has added another remarkable achievement to his extensive list of records, surpassing Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in tennis history. Reaching his 430th Grand Slam match at the Australian Open on Wednesday, Djokovic achieved this milestone with a hard-fought second-round victory against 21-year-old Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria.
Djokovic’s career record at major tournaments now stands at an impressive 379-51, with an .881 winning percentage, after he defeated Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2. The match was briefly delayed by light rain, but play resumed when Rod Laver Arena’s retractable roof was closed.
“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,” Djokovic said after the match. “I’m just blessed to be making another record, I guess, today.”
As it stands, Djokovic now holds several prestigious records, many of which were once held by Federer. Federer, who went 369-60 during his 429 Grand Slam matches for a .860 winning percentage, remains one of the sport’s legends. However, Djokovic has now surpassed him in terms of total Grand Slam matches played and is also the all-time leader for the most Grand Slam singles titles, with 24. His closest rivals, Rafael Nadal (22 titles) and Federer (20 titles), are both retired.
At 37 years old, Djokovic has also spent more weeks ranked No. 1 than any other player and has reached 37 Grand Slam finals, six more than Federer’s previous record.
The Serbian star is now eyeing even more milestones. If he wins the Australian Open, it would mark his 25th Grand Slam title — a number no man or woman has ever reached. It would also be his 11th Australian Open victory, tying him with Margaret Court for the most titles at this major tournament. Furthermore, if Djokovic claims the title, he would become the oldest man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles trophy, surpassing Ken Rosewall’s record set in 1972 at the age of 45.
Additionally, a victory in Melbourne would also be his 100th tour-level title, a notable achievement that would bring him closer to Jimmy Connors’ record of 109 and Federer’s 103.
Despite these impressive statistics, Djokovic’s journey at this year’s Australian Open has not been without challenges. In his first two matches, both of which were against young players making their Grand Slam debuts, Djokovic was pushed to four sets. In the first round, he faced 19-year-old American Nishesh Basavareddy, who only turned professional last month and is ranked 107th. In the second round, Djokovic met Faria, ranked 125th, who put up a strong challenge, especially during a four-game stretch in the second set.
Djokovic acknowledged Faria’s performance, noting, “He was playing lights-out tennis. … I had to weather the storm.” However, he responded well, particularly in the third and fourth sets, to seal the win.
With the tournament still ongoing, Djokovic is poised to further cement his place in tennis history and could continue to break records as he aims for a 25th Grand Slam title.
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