Aus Open: Novak Djokovic breaks Federer’s record for most Grand Slam matches played with win over Faria

Key records hold by Djokovic

Ø Most Grand Slam titles: 24 (Australian Open - 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023; French Open - 2016, 2021, 2023; Wimbledon - 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022; U.S. Open - 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)

Ø Most Grand Slam finals: 37

Ø Only player to win all four Grand Slams at least three times

Ø Most Grand Slam singles matches played in the Open Era: 430 (as of Jan. 15, 2025)

Ø Most Australian Open titles: 10

Ø Most hardcourt majors won: 14

Ø Only player to win at least three majors in a single year four times

Melbourne: The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has moved past Swiss legend Roger Federer to claim the all-time record for most major singles matches played among men and women by contesting in his 430th Grand Slam singles match.

The 10-time Australian Open winner battled past 21-year-old qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday moving past Federer's tally of 429.

The Serb is through to the third round of the season first major for the 17th time in 20 appearances to continue his quest for a 25th major singles title and 100th tour-level crown.

"I think I responded very well in the third and particularly fourth set, the way I ended the match. He was playing lights-out tennis towards the end of the second set and beginning of the third. I had to weather the storm. He's been practically serving two first serves the entire match.

“It's not easy to play someone like that who doesn't have obviously anything to lose coming out. He's a big guy, very young, so I told him at the net, the future is bright for him, he should keep going," Djokovic was quoted saying by ATP website. Next up for Djokovic will be a third-round meeting with 26th-seeded Czech Tomas Machac, a 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 winner against Reilly Opelka earlier on Wednesday. The pair split two previous Lexus ATP Head-to-Head meetings in 2023 and 2024, with Machac winning their most recent showdown in last year's Geneva semi-finals.

Djokovic is bidding to become the oldest player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, a record that currently belongs to Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at the age of 37 years and 62 days. At the end of this Melbourne fortnight, Djokovic will be 37 years and 249 days old.

Meanwhie Casper Ruud was sent spinning out of the Australian Open as Czech teenager Jakub Mensik pulled off an impressive 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 upset under the lights at Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday.19-year-old Mensik, the 2022 boy's singles finalist at Melbourne Park, sealed the match in style with a searing forehand winner to push the three-times Grand Slam finalist and sixth seed to the exit.

Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz continued his pursuit of a Career Grand Slam as the reached the third round with a win over Yoshihito Nishioka.In a stunning display of tennis, Alcaraz mixed power and touch to perfection as he overwhelmed Nishioka by 6-0, 6-1, 6-4. During the opening set, he dropped just four points and also secured the win in his first nine games before dropping one finally. The match lasted an hour and 22 minutes. (IANS)

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