A new Djokovic on Australian soil.

Despite doubts about his fitness after skipping the tournaments in early January, Djokovic's dominant 3-0 (6-3, 6-2, 6-2) victory over Pedro Martinez in his opening match at the 2026 Australian Open proved to be a calculated move.

Djokovic is displaying a cunning and effective playing style at the 2026 Australian Open - Photo: REUTERS

By deliberately "lying low," the Serbian player minimizes the risk of injury and avoids unnecessary energy expenditure.

Witnessing the impressive performance of the world number 4 in the first round, tennis legend Boris Becker commented: "Djokovic is quietly training on his own unique path. The world-class serves in his debut at Melbourne Park are proof that he has prepared very thoroughly for this tournament."

This assessment is entirely justified and has received widespread agreement from tennis fans. This is because Djokovic's victory over Pedro Martinez was not simply a ticket to the next round, but also exposed the pragmatic intentions of the Serbian player.

Accordingly, Novak Djokovic entered the match aiming to finish off his opponent as quickly as possible in order to conserve energy for the final stages of the tournament. By proactively increasing the pace of the game, combined with powerful serves and clean finishing, Nole is demonstrating that his experience and cunning are enough to overcome the age barrier against younger players like Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz.

Furthermore, in Djokovic's plan, each early-round match is like a light practice session. This helps him maintain his best form and ball control, while avoiding exhaustion before important matches.

With his current trajectory, a historic opportunity is unfolding before Nole as he is just three wins away from Roger Federer's record of 102 wins at Melbourne Park. Given the relatively favorable draw, breaking this milestone is entirely within Djokovic's reach.

However, Djokovic's ambitions certainly don't stop at mere statistics, as his 25th Grand Slam title is the ultimate goal he's striving to achieve. And in doing so, he would also set a record of 11 Australian Open titles – an unprecedented milestone that will likely take many more decades for another player to reach.

At the 2026 Australian Open, fans will likely no longer see a Djokovic relentlessly battling through long, exhausting rallies. Instead, they will see a Djokovic with practical, killer shots, cunningly finishing off his opponents.

TUAN LONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mot-djokovic-moi-tren-dat-uc-20260121002552592.htm