Djokovic Survives In His Longest-Ever First-Round Grand Slam Match At Australian Open

| by Erik Virostko

Novak Djokovic had to worry for the result in his first-round match at the 2024 Australian Open, but only for a few minutes.

Heading into the first major of the season, there's been a lot said about the Serbian. First, he struggled with an injury at the United Cup but denied any injury worries ahead of the tournament.

On top of that, Djokovic declared himself to be his biggest Australian Open opponent, but in the first round, it wasn't the 24-time Grand Slam champion, but his 18-year-old opponent from Croatia, Dino Prizmic.

The Croatian completely missed the start of the match, when he let his more experienced opponent to jump out into a one-break lead, which the ten-time Australian Open winner then increased to two breaks to win the opener 6-2.

But it wasn't about the first set, the second set was when things got interesting. First, Prizmic broke his opponent's serve to lead 3-1, but the Serbian's answer came immediately, and after both players held their serve, the second set reached the tie-break.

'He Didn't Behave Properly With Respect': Djokovic Makes U-Turn On Shelton Span
'He Didn't Behave Properly With Respect': Djokovic Makes U-Turn On Shelton Span

Surprisingly, the teenager was the better player in the tie-break, and despite not being able to convert his first three set points, he used the fourth chance and won the tie-break 7-5 to level the score of the match at one set each, becoming the youngest man ever to win a set against the world no. 1.

But in the third set, things got even more interesting. First, Djokovic led 2-0 and it looked like he was in control of the proceedings once again. However, then, Prizmic won three consecutive games, including a 16-minute one which was his second break of the set.

It was a moment when the score was level with one player having won one set, but the Croatian was leading by a break in the third set, but it was also the last moment that he has ever led in this match.

After that, Djokovic changed his t-shirt, and it seemed to give him superpowers, as the Serbian won eight consecutive games after doing so, while crossing the two-hour and twenty-eight minute mark, which marked his previously longest first-round match in Melbourne, in a four-set defeat to Paul Goldstein.

With a 4-0 lead in the fourth set, Djokovic could have bageled his opponent, as he had a break point to go up 5-0, but Prizmic held his own with a few solid serves to win a game in the fourth set.

Yet, he couldn't trouble his opponent anymore as Djokovic won the match 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in four hours and one minute to book his second-round spot at the 2024 Australian Open, awaiting the winner of the match between home players Alexei Popyrin and Marc Polmans.

The match was also his longest-ever first-round Grand Slam match, when previously, he spent three hours and 57 minutes on court against Gael Monfils when he beat him 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5), 0-6, 7-5 at the 2005 US Open.

Matteo Berrettini Withdraws From 2024 Australian Open
Matteo Berrettini Withdraws From 2024 Australian Open

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