Novak Djokovic celebrated a historic milestone at the Australian Open 2026, recording his 100th match win at the Melbourne tournament with a commanding straight-sets victory over Spain’s Pedro Martinez. The world number four, who is chasing a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title, demonstrated an exhibition of serving excellence that highlighted why he remains one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Djokovic’s Dominant Performance

The 38-year-old Serb delivered a near-perfect serving display across a two-hour contest, dropping only five points out of 57 on serve. His dominance was clear in the statistics:

• Eight holds to love
• Lost just one point in each of the second and third sets
• Won 93% of points on his first serve
• Maintained a 77% first-serve percentage

Djokovic closed the match with his 14th ace, sealing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Martinez. Former doubles legend Mark Woodforde hailed Djokovic’s serving as “supreme” and “exceptional” during commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Despite the performance, Djokovic remained modest in his post-match interview:

“Tonight’s performance was great, I can’t complain about anything. I served very well,” he said.
“It’s always a challenge to kick-start the tournament on the right note and send the right signal not only to yourself but your opponents watching you play.”

Reflecting on a Milestone

Following his 100th Australian Open win, Djokovic reflected on his journey in Melbourne. He was treated to video highlights from his 2005 main-draw debut, though he insisted he wasn’t getting distracted by past achievements.

“It’s a nice feeling to be a centurion,” Djokovic said.
“History-making is great motivation. Particularly in the last five or 10 years of my career, once I got myself in a position where I could eventually create history, I was even more inspired to play the best tennis.”

Djokovic also stressed the importance of longevity and careful career management:

“I was fortunate early in my career to encounter people who guided me to play the long shot with my career, not to burn out too quickly, and take care of my body and my mind. I’m blessed to be playing at this level and another win is a dream come true.”

With this victory, Djokovic joins an elite group of players to have 100+ wins at multiple Grand Slams, including Wimbledon (102) and Roland Garros (101).

Djokovic’s Next Challenge

In the second round, Djokovic will face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli, aiming to maintain momentum and continue his pursuit of another Grand Slam title.

Other Early Results at the Australian Open

The men’s draw produced several noteworthy performances on day two:

• Alex de Minaur, the sixth seed, began his campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win over lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald, signaling his intent to contend for a major title at his home Grand Slam.
• Andrey Rublev (13th seed) defeated Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets.
• Casper Ruud (12th seed) won comfortably over Mattia Bellucci, losing just seven games.
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (14th seed) and Tommy Paul (19th seed) also advanced without dropping a set.

However, there was a surprise early exit for Czech 17th seed Jiri Lehecka, who fell to Arthur Gea in straight sets. Gea will face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka in the second round, setting up a fascinating clash between youth and experience.

Looking Ahead

As Djokovic continues his campaign at the Australian Open, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if he can extend his record-breaking achievements. With unmatched serving stats, mental resilience, and vast experience, Djokovic remains the player to beat in Melbourne 2026.