Novak Djokovic Survives Scare in Australian Open First Round, Wins in Four Sets

Melbourne, Australia – Novak Djokovic, the record-holder for most Australian Open men’s singles titles, endured his toughest first-round test in years at the 2024 Australian Open, ultimately prevailing in four sets against 18-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic.

Djokovic, now 36 years old, showcased his resilience and experience in overcoming the challenge posed by the young and talented Prizmic, who pushed the Serbian legend to the limit in a marathon four-hour, one-minute encounter.

Djokovic’s Hard-Fought Victory

The match commenced with Djokovic asserting his dominance, securing the first set 6-2. However, Prizmic exhibited remarkable composure, fighting back to claim the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5).

The third set proved to be a grueling battle, with Prizmic breaking Djokovic’s serve in a protracted 17-minute game to establish a 3-2 advantage. Nevertheless, Djokovic’s class and determination shone through as he captured the subsequent eight games in succession, securing the third and fourth sets 6-3, 6-4, and advancing to the second round.

Despite the challenging match, Djokovic acknowledged Prizmic’s impressive performance, commending his game plan and physicality.

“Obviously, I struggled in many, many different moments tonight, but it was credit to him due to his incredible game plan,” Djokovic said. “He just had an answer for everything. He was very physical.”

The victory marked Djokovic’s 29th consecutive Australian Open match win, extending his dominance at the tournament. However, it was only the second time in the last 17 years that he had dropped a set in the first round.

Prizmic’s Promising Debut

Prizmic, the 2023 French Open junior champion, made his Grand Slam main draw debut at the Australian Open and left a lasting impression with his fearless performance against Djokovic.

The Croatian youngster had an opportunity to become the first player to win two sets off Djokovic in a major first round since 2010 and the first to do so at the Australian Open since 2006.

Although he ultimately fell short of the upset, Prizmic earned praise from Djokovic for his maturity and exceptional talent.

“He deserved every applause, every credit that he got tonight,” Djokovic said. “He’s an amazing player, I must say, so mature for his age. … This is his moment, honestly. It could have easily been his match as well.”

Djokovic’s Road Ahead

With the first-round hurdle cleared, Djokovic will now face another Australian in the second round, either Alexei Popyrin or Marc Polmans.

A potential third-round clash with five-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray looms large, followed by a possible fourth-round encounter with American Ben Shelton, who Djokovic defeated in the semifinals of the 2023 U.S. Open.

Djokovic is aiming to capture his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open, which would propel him one ahead of Rafael Nadal and Margaret Court on the all-time list.

Other Notable Results

In other notable results on the opening day of the Australian Open, American Taylor Fritz, the highest-seeded American man at No. 12, required five sets and ankle treatment to reach the second round.

Amanda Anisimova, another American, defeated No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in her first Slam match since returning from a mental health break. Anisimova reached the 2019 French Open semifinals at the age of 17.

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open champion, advanced in her first match in Melbourne since ending a three-and-a-half-year retirement last summer.

Wozniacki, now 33, was leading 6-2, 2-0 against No. 20 seed Magda Linette of Poland when Linette, a 2023 Australian Open semifinalist, retired due to injury.

The Australian Open continues on Monday (Sunday night in the U.S.) with U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff and four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in action. Osaka, who recently returned to competition after giving birth, will be playing her first Slam since her maternity leave.

Call to Action: Don’t miss the captivating action of the Australian Open! Stay tuned for updates on Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and follow the thrilling journeys of other top players. Catch all the exciting matches live or through highlights on your preferred sports channels.