Djokovic reaches 100 wins at the Australian Open.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Novak Djokovic made an impressive comeback at the Australian Open on the evening of January 19th, marking a new historical milestone at this hard-court Grand Slam tournament.

The former world number one displayed near-perfect form, defeating Pedro Martinez overwhelmingly 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. This victory not only propelled Djokovic into the second round but also marked his 100th career win at Melbourne Park. The ten-time Australian Open champion is now aiming to surpass Roger Federer's record of 102 wins at this tournament.

Djokovic reaches 100 wins at the Australian Open (Photo: Getty).

“What can I say? I love the sound of that number. Becoming a 'centurion' (reaching 100) sounds great. It’s amazing to reach 100 in this way. Making history is a huge motivation, especially in the last 5-10 years of my career. Once you put yourself in a position to make history, it inspires you to play your best tennis,” Djokovic shared after the match.

He added: “I was very fortunate to meet people early on who mentored and guided me towards a long-term career path: not to burn out too quickly and to try to play for as long as possible. I feel lucky to still be able to play at this level.”

According to statistics, Djokovic is currently the only player with 100 or more wins at three different Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Roland Garros. In the second round, Djokovic will face 23-year-old Italian Francesco Maestrelli, who qualified and won his first Grand Slam main draw match after defeating Terence Atmane.

Despite questions about his fitness following his run to the US Open semifinals last year, Djokovic displayed incredible sharpness and versatility. In his first encounter with Pedro Martinez, also his first match since winning in Athens in November, Djokovic completely controlled the game from the baseline and hit more than three times as many winning shots as his Spaniard opponent (49 compared to 14).

Djokovic displayed impressive form in his opening match (Photo: Getty).

The 38-year-old Serbian player reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments last season. His quest for his 11th Australian Open title may depend on his chances of facing the two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.

In other news, Casper Ruud also easily advanced to the second round after a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Mattia Bellucci, securing his 50th Grand Slam win. The 12th seed will face Jaume Munar, after the Spaniard defeated Dalibor Svrcina.

“This is the perfect start to the tournament and this stadium is probably one of my favorites in the world. The atmosphere here is fantastic and it's the best way to get started. I'm really looking forward to being back here in a few days,” Ruud shared about Margaret Court Arena. He also didn't forget to thank his wife, Maria, who is expecting a baby.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/djokovic-can-moc-100-chien-thang-tai-australian-open-20260120064845504.htm