Novak Djokovic, a 24-time major winner, became the first player to reach 400 wins in Grand Slam singles when he beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Saturday night in the third round of the Australian Open. It improved his win-loss record to 102-10 at the Australian Open, too, equalling Roger Federer's career haul for the most-ever match wins at the season's first major.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open 10 times, more than anyone else. At 38, he's in Australia aiming for a 25th career major that would make him the most decorated tennis player of all time. He was in control from the start against van de Zandschulp and was untroubled except for a few moments in the third set when he tripped and tumbled to the court in the third game, and later when he faced two set points in the 12th.
Djokovic also added another milestone with his 100th win at Melbourne Park. That made him the first man to win 100 or more matches on three surfaces at the Grand Slams, apart from his 102 on grass at Wimbledon and 101 on clay at Roland Garros.
He was happy to be playing a night match on a day when the tournament's extreme heat policy had to be invoked and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner struggled before advancing in the afternoon conditions.
Jannik Sinner, on the other hand, overcame cramps and heat to continue his title defence at the Australian Open to defeat World No. 85 Eliot Spizzirri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the third round victory. "I struggled physically today. But as the time passed, I felt better and better," he said.
Reflecting on his state at 3-1 down in the third set, after he'd dropped as many service games in this match as he did in winning the entire 2025 tournament, second seed Sinner said he was just trying to survive until a longer break. “It started with the legs. Got to the arms. I was cramping a bit all over,” he said. "This is the sport. This is an area I know I need to improve. “Tennis is a very mental game. I tried to stay as calm as possible. I'm here to fight, to play every point the best possible way,” said Sinner, who will next play fellow Italian Luciano Darderi.
Three Italian men advanced to the round of 16 with No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti beating Tomas Machac 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. Ninth-seeded Madison Keys beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in the opening match, while sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2. Next up for the two Americans and podcast pals is a fourth-round encounter against each other.
Balaji-Oberleitner bow out
India's N Sriram Balaji and his Austrian partner Neil Oberleitner, who entered the Australian Open men’s doubles draw as an alternate pair, bowed out in the second round after a straight-sets loss on Saturday. Balaji and Oberleitner went down 5-7, 1-6 to fourth seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Croatia’s Mate Pavic.
Also read: Alcaraz, Sabalenka reach Australian Open Round 4
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