Australian Open 2026: Djokovic begins 25th Slam quest with milestone win
Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic began his record-extending quest for a 25th Grand Slam with a straight-sets win over Spain's Pedro Martinez at the Rod Laver Arena.
Novak Djokovic began his elusive quest for the 25th Grand Slam with a clinical win over world number 71 Pedro Martinez in the first round of the Australian Open 2026. The fourth-seeded Serbian, who is a record 24-time Major winner and a 10-time champion at Melbourne Park, registered his 100th win at the Australian Open after beating Spain's Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at the Rod Laver Arena.
It was a milestone win for the great Serb, who, with his 100th win at Melbourne Park, became the only player in tennis history to have 100-plus wins at three different Slams and 95-plus wins at all four Slams.
Djokovic has 101 wins at the French Open, 102 wins at Wimbledon and 95 wins at the US Open.
Djokovic proves his doubters wrong with a stellar performance
The doubters and critics, who questioned Djokovic's fitness and preparations, were silenced by a stellar performance on his record-equalling appearance at the Australian Open.
With his 81st Major appearance, Djokovic drew level with Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez in the list of most Grand Slam main draw appearances in men's tennis.
Despite pulling out of the Adelaide tune-up event and participating in limited practice sessions in the lead-up to the first Grand Slam of the year, Djokovic looked in prime shape.
"I'm blessed to be still playing at this level," Djokovic said after registering win in his first tour-level match since November.
"It always feels good at the beginning of the tournament. Let's see how I progress. Tonight's performance was definitely great, I cannot complain about anything ... let's hope for the best."
The 38-year-old former world number one faced little resistance from his 28-year-old opponent after making a strong start and maintained dominance throughout the match.
Djokovic last played in November, where he claimed his 101st career title in Athens, and despite playing no competitive tennis in the last two months, Djokovic showed no signs of rust.