Melbourne, Jan 24 (.) Novak Djokovic made more history in Melbourne on Saturday, becoming the first player ever to reach 400 Grand Slam singles wins, as he advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open for an 18th time.
The 38-year-old fourth seed defeated Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) under the Rod Laver Arena roof. Djokovic enjoyed a strong start but faced moments of tension in the second and third sets, including saving two set points late in the third.
With the win, Djokovic moved to 102 career victories at Melbourne Park, equaling Roger Federer’s record at the tournament. Despite the scoreline, he admitted to feeling pressure at times and took a medical time out for foot treatment.
Djokovic will next face Czech Jakub Mensik, the recent Auckland champion who defeated him in last season’s Miami final, in a bid for an 11th Australian Open title.
The first set saw Djokovic break in a 26-shot rally, while the second set featured a double-break lead disrupted by Van de Zandschulp’s medical time out. The third set was tightly contested, with Djokovic saving set points and ultimately sealing victory in a tiebreak.
Djokovic continues his pursuit of Grand Slam history as the tournament progresses.
. . PRS