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Novak Djokovic delivered a masterful serving display as he claimed his 100th victory at the Australian Open, defeating Spain's Pedro Martinez in straight sets.
The world number four, aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, dropped just five points on serve out of 57 during a two-hour performance that showcased his serving precision. The 38-year-old recorded eight holds to love, lost only one point in each of the second and third sets, and won 93 percent of points behind his first serve while maintaining a 77 percent first-serve rate. He closed out the match with his 14th ace, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Seventeen-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mark Woodforde praised Djokovic's serving on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, calling it "supreme" and "exceptional," but Djokovic himself was more modest. He noted, "Tonight's performance was great, I can't complain about anything. I served very well. It's always a challenge to start a tournament on the right note and send the right signal not only to yourself but to your opponents watching you play." He added that he would use the following days to recover and prepare for the next round.
Celebrating a century of wins in Melbourne, a milestone he has also reached at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, Djokovic was shown highlights from his 2005 main-draw debut during his post-match interview. Despite the recognition, he said he prefers
to focus on current matches rather than reflect too much on past achievements, joking that he will think about career milestones only when relaxing on a beach after retirement.
Djokovic will face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli in the second round. Speaking about the milestone, he said, "It's a nice feeling to be a centurion. History-making is great motivation. Particularly in the last five or ten years of my career, once I reached a position where I could create history, I felt even more inspired to play my best tennis. I'm blessed to be playing at this level, and another win is a dream come true."
Elsewhere in the men's draw, sixth seed Alex de Minaur opened his campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Mackenzie McDonald, declaring his intent to compete for the title. Thirteenth seed Andrey Rublev and 12th seed Casper Ruud also advanced comfortably, while 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and 19th seed Tommy Paul won their opening matches.
However, Czech 17th seed Jiri Lehecka suffered a surprise first-round exit, losing to qualifier Arthur Gea in straight sets. Gea will face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka in the second round.
