Novak Djokovic got his title-defending campaign off to a winning start on Sunday evening at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park, as he battled past 18-year-old Dino Prizmic in the first round, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. After being given a "run for his money", as Djokovic described, in the second and third set, where at one point the qualifier even led the scoreline with a break up, the Serb recovered well in time to take down the Croat in a match that lasted four hours and a minute, the longest he has ever played in a round-one encounter at the Slams. With the win, Djokovic scripted a milestone win in Australian Open while also extending his streak in Melbourne.
It was Djokovic's 90th win at the first Grand Slam of the season, where he had made his debut in 2005 and won his maiden title in 2008. He became the third player, male or female, to have 90 or more wins at Melbourne Park after Roger Federer (102) and Serena Williams (92).
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The tally, however, made the 36-year-old the first-ever man to have 90-plus wins in at least three of the four majors. He has won 92 matches each at Wimbledon and US Open. He was already the only tennis player ever to record 80 or more wins at all four majors. He now stands just two wins away from taking his tally in the US Open to 90. The only other player to have recorded at least 70 or more wins at all four Grand Slam events is Federer - 102 at the Australian Open, 73 at Roland Garros, 105 at Wimbledon and 89 at the US Open.
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The win against Prizmic was also his 29th consecutive victory at the Australian Open, having not lost a match since his shock fourth-round exit in 2018. The streak remains the longest ever by a man in Melbourne, having earlier smashed Andre Agassi's tally of 26 such wins.
{{/usCountry}}The win against Prizmic was also his 29th consecutive victory at the Australian Open, having not lost a match since his shock fourth-round exit in 2018. The streak remains the longest ever by a man in Melbourne, having earlier smashed Andre Agassi's tally of 26 such wins.
{{/usCountry}}Djokovic will next face the winner of the all-Aussie first-round tie between Alexei Popyrin and wild card Marc Polmans.