Novak Djokovic defeated Jamie Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round of the 2025 Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer (via X)
Novak Djokovic yet again added another record to his lengthy list of achievements by breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in the history of tennis. He did that after beating Jaime Faria in the second round of the Australian Open. The Serbian is pushing to claim his 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic proved his superior experience gap during his second-round match against Faria. The 37-year-old had a tougher-than-expected challenge after winning the first set against the Portuguese star. Faria produced a vintage display in the second set, especially during the tiebreak, as he struck the ball precisely, showing an all-court athleticism.
But after Djokovic won the third set, the 21-year-old qualifier looked burnt out going into the fourth set, leaving the Serbian to cruise 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic improved his career Grand Slam win-loss record to 379-51. He also overtook Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played since the Open Era by reaching 430, as the Swiss legend has 429.
During his on-court interview, Djokovic revealed that he was proud of achieving the feat. He added that being the player with the most experience at the Australian Open really means so much to him, as he aims to win the title.
The Serbian has played four sets against two qualifiers in the tournament and will not meet inexperienced players moving forward in the competition.
Novak Djokovic will face Tomas Machac in the third round of the 2025 Australian Open. The latter advanced following a second-round win over Reilly Opelka in the second round. The Czechia star has been playing some incredible tennis in recent months having also defeated Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters.
During his post-match press conference, Machac was asked about playing against Djokovic in the third round. He said he wasn’t going to reveal his strategy to beating the Serbian legend, maintaining it has to be a secret.
Machac and Djokovic hold a 1-1 head-to-head record against each other. The Serbian won the first meeting at the 2023 Dubai Open before Machac earned his revenge in the semifinals of the Geneva Open.
