Australian Open: Djokovic sees off valiant challenge from qualifier Faria

Serb Novak Djokovic, the No 7 seed, beat Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to move into the third round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

“He was the better player,” admitted Djokovic in his press conference afterwards. “I think he was firing from all cylinders. At one point he was difficult to play against because he was practically serving two first serves and going for his shots. Logically he was pumped when he won the second set.

“I feel like I managed to focus in the important moments and make that crucial break at 3-2 in the third. From that moment onwards, I feel like I upped my game a bit and played a really good, good fourth set.”

Indeed, Faria did not look at all like a man playing just his second main-draw match at a Grand Slam, and for the better part of an hour – in the second set and at the start of the third – giving Djokovic major headaches with his powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes.

As he did in his opening match, however, Djokovic weathered the storm and leant on his experience in best-of-five matches to pull away with the match, winning in three hours flat.

By stepping on court, Djokovic broke yet another record – this time, Federer’s record for the most Grand Slam matches played, with the Serbian now having played in 430 matches at this level.

“I love this sport, I love competition,” Djokovic reflected on-court afterwards.

“I try to give my best very single time. It’s been over 20 years competing at a grand slam at the highest level. Whether I win or lose, one thing is for sure, I’ll leave my heart out on the court.

“Grand Slams, of course, are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of this sport. They are the ones that motivate the youngest children. When I was a kid, the first image I had of tennis was watching the Wimbledon finals, I was four or five years old. Grand Slams are definitely the most important tournaments in the world, it’s been over 130 years in existence of this incredible event, so I’m just blessed to be making another record I guess, today.”

Djokovic praises Faria’s level, makes Medvedev quip

Into the third round of the tournament he has won 10 times, Djokovic reflected on his performance, and that of his opponent:

“I think I responded very well in the third and particularly the fourth set, the way I ended up the match,” he said.

“Yesterday Medvedev played five sets, he was two-sets-to-one down, and in the wise words of Daniil Medvedev: ‘If the future generation plays this way, they’re going to have everything. Money, girls, casino…’ I just love that statement, I had to say it.

“He (Faria) was playing lights-out tennis, I think it was the end of the second set and beginning of the third, I had to weather the storm. He’s been practically serving two first serves the entire match, not easy to play someone like that, who obviously doesn’t have anything to lose.

“He’s a big guy, very young, I think 20 or 21 years old, so I told him at the net, the future is bright for him, he should keep going.”

Djokovic, ranked No 7, will play No 26 seed Tomas Machac next.

The 37-year-old Serb won against American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2) in the previous round of the first Grand Slam tournament in 2025.

During the first round of the first Grand Slam tournament in 2025, Faria, ranked No 125, defeated Russian Pavel Kotov (6-1, 6-1, 7-5).

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other second-round results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 60.627.573, most recent results first):

• Learner Tien vs. Daniil Medvedev
• Jannik Sinner vs. Tristan Schoolkate
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Holger Rune
• Tristan Boyer vs. Alex De Minaur
• Taylor Fritz vs. Cristian Garin
• Corentin Moutet vs. Mitchell Krueger
• Fabian Marozsan vs. Frances Tiafoe
• Joao Fonseca vs. Lorenzo Sonego
• Denis Shapovalov vs. Lorenzo Musetti
• Ben Shelton vs. Pablo Carreno Busta
• Daniel Altmaier vs. Gael Monfils
• Francisco Cerundolo vs. Facundo Diaz Acosta
• Gabriel Diallo vs. Karen Khachanov
• Alex Michelsen vs. James McCabe
• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Miomir Kecmanovic
• Marcos Giron vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry
• Pedro Martinez Portero vs. Alexander Zverev
• Casper Ruud vs. Jakub Mensik
• Jack Draper vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
• Ugo Humbert vs. Hady Habib
• Arthur Cazaux vs. Jacob Fearnley
• Kei Nishikori vs. Tommy Paul
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Aleksandar Vukic vs. Sebastian Korda
• Quentin Halys vs. Arthur Fils
• Roberto Carballes Baena vs. James Duckworth
• Nuno Borges beat Jordan Thompson (27): 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
• Benjamin Bonzi beat Francesco Passaro (LL): 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Yoshihito Nishioka: 6-0, 6-1, 6-4
• Jiri Lehecka (24) beat Hugo Gaston: 6-3, 3-1 ret.
• Tomas Machac beat Reilly Opelka: 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-4