Djokovic breaks Federer’s record after defeating Faria to advance to Australian Open third round

Novak Djokovic, aged 37, encountered a challenging match but ultimately prevailed to advance to the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday. In doing so, he surpassed the legendary Roger Federer for the record of the most Grand Slam singles matches played.

Facing formidable opposition from the audacious Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria, Djokovic secured victory with scores of 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, setting up a forthcoming match against Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac.

This match marked Djokovic's 430th appearance in Grand Slam events, granting him sole possession of the record for the most singles matches played in the Open era, ahead of Federer, who has 429, and Serena Williams, who has 423.

No other player has reached the milestone of 400 matches.

"I have a deep passion for this sport and for competition," Djokovic remarked, noting that this marks his 17th consecutive year reaching the third round in Melbourne.

"I strive to give my utmost effort every time I compete. It has been over two decades since I began competing in Grand Slams at the highest level. Regardless of the outcome, I always pour my heart into the game. I feel fortunate to be setting another record."

In the first round, Djokovic faced a scare from American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy, ranked 107, who also extended their match to four sets.

Under the watchful eye of his new coach Andy Murray, Djokovic displayed a return to form against the 125th-ranked Faria, dominating the early exchanges.

He began the match with a service hold to love and quickly broke Faria's serve to lead 3-1 after the Portuguese player sent a backhand long. Djokovic found his rhythm, securing another break for 5-1, which propelled him to take the opening set in a mere 30 minutes.

Faria, who achieved his first Tour-level victory in the first round against Pavel Kotov, initially seemed overwhelmed. However, he regrouped in the second set, capitalizing on Djokovic's mounting frustrations by breaking serve twice to establish a 4-2 lead.

Faria faltered while serving for the set at 5-3, allowing Djokovic to break back to love with a stunning crosscourt winner, regaining momentum in the match.

The match proceeded to a tiebreak, during which Faria executed flawlessly, clinching the set with an impressive drop shot and celebrating with a triumphant fist pump.

However, the seasoned Djokovic recalibrated his approach, and with the stadium roof closed due to inclement weather, he shifted into a higher gear, seizing control of the third set as Faria began to falter.

The Portuguese competitor appeared fatigued, while Djokovic's poise and experience became increasingly evident as he dominated the fourth set, maintaining his pursuit of yet another title.

"He was playing exceptional tennis," Djokovic remarked. "He's a young talent. I told him at the net that his future is promising."

SportsLigue