Novak Djokovic began his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title with a commanding straight-sets victory at the Australian Open on Monday.
The 38-year-old Serbian brushed aside Spain’s Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in just over two hours on Rod Laver Arena to advance to the second round, where he will face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.
The win marked Djokovic’s 100th career victory at the Australian Open, underlining his enduring dominance at the Melbourne Park venue.
“Great to be back once again definitely my favourite court,” Djokovic said afterwards. “Reaching 100 wins here is very special. I always give my best on the court, and making history is a huge motivation. I feel blessed to still be playing at this level.”
Ranked fourth in the world, the former world number one raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening set as Serbian supporters cheered him on. He moved freely and showed no signs of discomfort, despite pulling out of a warm-up event earlier this month due to fitness concerns.
Djokovic had not played competitively since early November, carefully managing his schedule to reduce the physical strain on his body. However, he looked sharp from the outset, sealing the first set comfortably.
He broke the 71st-ranked Martinez early in the second set and maintained control on serve to take a commanding two-set lead. The third followed a similar pattern, with the only brief concern arising when Djokovic stretched his right hamstring between games.
Djokovic is aiming to surpass Margaret Court’s long-standing record of 24 Grand Slam titles but faces stiff competition from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Sinner is the two-time defending Australian Open champion, while both he and Alcaraz have dominated the majors over the past two seasons.
Djokovic has remained on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning the US Open in 2023. He reached the semi-finals in Melbourne last year but was forced to retire injured against Alexander Zverev.
Nonetheless, he achieved another milestone on Monday, making his 81st Grand Slam appearance equalling the all-time men’s singles record jointly held by Roger Federer and Feliciano López.
