Kamal Ghorui
Novak Djokovic continues to stretch the boundaries of what is possible in men’s tennis, adding yet another set of milestones to his glittering career at the Australian Open on Saturday night.The 24-time Grand Slam champion became the first player in history to register 400 singles wins at Grand Slams after brushing aside Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the third round at Melbourne Park. The victory also took Djokovic’s Australian Open record to 102 wins against just 10 losses, drawing him level with Roger Federer for the most match wins at the season’s opening major.Already a ten-time champion in Melbourne, the 38-year-old is chasing a 25th major title, a feat that would place him alone at the summit of tennis history. Against the Dutchman, Djokovic asserted control early and rarely looked troubled, barring a tense spell in the third set.There were brief moments of concern when Djokovic slipped and fell heavily in the third game of the set, and later when he faced two set points while serving at 5-6. A medical timeout followed, during which the trainer taped the ball of his right foot, before Djokovic calmly reset. A forehand winner erased the first danger, while crowd noise forced chair umpire John Blom to repeatedly intervene as Djokovic defended the second.An animated Djokovic saved both set points, even playfully mimicking a football header as one return flew long. With the crowd chanting “Nole, Nole, Nole”, he forced a tie-break and closed out the match clinically.Reflecting on his fall, Djokovic said, “I managed to have a good’ fall if you can say so, I could protect myself. Things could have been pretty ugly.” He added that his body was responding well but remained cautious after injury setbacks last year. “I must say, it’s been a great start of the tournament. Last year I learned a lesson. I got too excited too early in some of the Grand Slams … getting injured three out of four.”Djokovic acknowledged the rise of the next generation, noting that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are “playing on a different level right now,” before adding, “I’m still trying to give these young guys a push for their money.”Earlier milestones have also piled up this fortnight. Djokovic is competing in his 21st Australian Open and his 81st Grand Slam event, while his 100th win at Melbourne Park made him the first man to record 100 or more match wins on three different Grand Slam surfaces.Elsewhere on Saturday, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek survived a stern test from Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya before advancing to the fourth round with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win at Margaret Court Arena. Swiatek dominated the opening set in just 24 minutes, but momentum swung sharply as Kalinskaya capitalised on errors to take the second. After a medical timeout, the Pole returned with renewed intensity, winning five straight games in the decider to regain control. Kalinskaya fought hard and saved multiple break points, but Swiatek’s power and composure proved decisive. The six-time Grand Slam champion, who holds a 25-7 record at the Australian Open, will next face home favourite Maddison Inglis as she continues her pursuit of a career Grand Slam.
