Novak Djokovic joins Serena Williams in elite list after Australian Open R2 win
Novak Djokovic has just become the second player in the Open Era to reach 150 Grand Slam wins after turning 30. Serena Williams was the first to reach the milestone. Williams holds the record for the most Grand Slam titles won in the WTA after reaching 30, having claimed 10 titles post her 30th birthday. In comparison, Djokovic has celebrated 12 Grand Slam victories since turning 30.
Serbian legend Novak Djokovic defeated Portugal’s Jaime Faria in their very first tour-level meeting in four sets. The World No. 7 concluded Faria's campaign with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 after three hours of play. This outcome was reminiscent of Djokovic's first-round success against Nishesh Basavareddy, where he also rallied after dropping the opening set to the American wildcard.

Djokovic has now 430 Grand Slam singles appearances in the Open Era, thereby surpassing Roger Federer to take the sole lead.
Just as in the opening round, Djokovic turned the tables on his opponent just as he was beginning to threaten the Serb. The 10-time Australian Open champion capitalized on Faria's 52 unforced errors to secure victory in the match. Faria demonstrated a willingness to engage at the net, successfully winning 14 out of 17 points in that area.
Faria, currently ranked World No. 125, controlled the tempo of the match throughout the second set and into the early stages of the third set, but eventually fell short against the champ.
The Serbian player is set to compete against Tomas Machac in the third round. Djokovic is likely to be motivated by a desire for revenge following his semi-final defeat to the Czech athlete last season in Geneva. This match marks the third encounter between Djokovic and Machac, with their head-to-head record currently standing at 1–1. Notably, this will be their inaugural meeting in a Grand Slam tournament.
Machac outlasted Reilly Opelka in a marathon five-setter. By eliminating Reilly, the Czech ended any chances of an Opelka-Djokovic rematch from Brisbane. Machac took 3 hours and 25 minutes to complete his 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over the American. Opelka’s 89 unforced error blunted the 83 winners that flowed from his racquet as he exited his first Australian Open since 2022.
Cover Credits - ATP Tour
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