Novak Djokovic dropped a set but bounced back to advance to the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, surpassing Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam singles matches played.
The 37-year-old faced tough competition from Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria, ultimately winning 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena. This victory sets him up for a match against Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With this win, Djokovic has now played 430 Grand Slam matches, taking sole possession of the record for the most singles matches played in the Open Era, ahead of Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423). No other player has reached 400 matches. The next on the list are Rafael Nadal (358 matches) and Venus Williams (356 matches).
"I love this sport, I love competition," Djokovic said, marking his 17th consecutive year reaching the third round in Melbourne.
"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."
Djokovic aims to become the oldest player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, a record currently held by Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at 37 years and 62 days. By the end of this tournament, Djokovic will be 37 years and 249 days old.
Most Grand Slam singles matches:- Novak Djokovic: 430 matches*
- Roger Federer: 429 matches
- Serena Williams: 423 matches
- Rafael Nadal: 358 matches
- Venus Williams: 356 matches
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