Djokovic continues to make Australian Open history as tour’s elder statesman

The very first point of Novak Djokovic’s 2026 season offered an instant reminder of his enduring greatness. Djokovic started his first match of his Australian Open campaign, also his opening match of the season, by working his way through a breathless 17-stroke rally and then punctuating the exchange with a perfectly timed forehand winner. He could not help but chuckle at his own genius.

That blazing start set the tone for a straightforward night inside Rod Laver Arena as Djokovic began his 22nd grand slam season with an effortless 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win against Spain’s Pedro Martínez. It was the Serb’s 100th win at the Australian Open, a feat he has also achieved at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.

Djokovic seems to create history every time he steps on to a tennis court these days, and this occasion was no different. By simply lining up to the baseline against Martínez, Djokovic tied Roger Federer’s record of most main-draw appearances at the Australian Open (21), a tournament he has won a record 10 times, and Federer’s and Feliciano López’s record of most grand slam appearances (81).

At 38 years old, Djokovic again finds himself attempting to achieve the borderline impossible by becoming the oldest men’s grand slam title winner in the history of tennis.

The odds were always against this being a close match. Martínez is ranked No 71 and most comfortable on clay courts and the ATP Challenger tour. He is a quintessential grinder who simply does not possess the firepower to seriously trouble a player of Djokovic’s calibre most of the time.

Still, Djokovic’s performance was a supreme demonstration of his enduring quality. His serving was precise and he tore apart Martínez’s defence with his forehand. Most notably, at his age Djokovic’s movement is still astounding, still narrowing the court with his defence and anticipation while several steps ahead of his opponents.

Even now, after so many years and miles in his legs, there is little reason to doubt that Djokovic is still capable of playing top-level tennis. The question is whether he can do so across the best of five sets and particularly five or six matches into the event. Last year, he could not. He reached the semi-finals of all four grand slam tournaments, an immense achievement, but on each occasion he was too worn down exactly when he needed his very best tennis against the top players in the world. After retiring from his Australian Open semi-final, he was flattened in his subsequent semi- finals by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

For so long Djokovic was, to many, the unwanted third man who had stepped in and ruined the duopoly between Federer and Rafael Nadal, and the mixed reception he has received from certain crowds has been a continuous topic throughout his career. Those days are long gone.

In this latter part of his career, with the finishing line drawing ever closer, Djokovic’s status as the tour’s elder statesman has endeared him even to many of his detractors.

While past crowds would have cheered fiercely for his challenger, on Monday, Rod Laver Arena was united in its support and adulation. A seven-minute on-court interview followed, a spectacle that was usually reserved for Federer. Djokovic had his audience in the palm of his hand as he spoke gleefully about his longevity.

“I was very fortunate early on in my career to encounter some people that taught me and guided me to play the long shot in my career – not to burn out too quickly, take care of my body, of my mind and try to have as long a career as possible,” he said.

Few athletes attract drama like Djokovic, but this year he took the decision to remove himself from a particularly dramatic situation. He opted to step away from the PTPA, the purported player association he co-founded, which filed a class‑action lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, ITF and the four grand slam tournaments last year. This week the organisation confirmed it had come to a settlement with Tennis Australia while the conflict continues. Djokovic, however, is focused entirely on extracting the most out of his career for however long he has left on the court.

Monday was a positive day for veteran champions. Earlier, Stan Wawrinka became the second-oldest man to win a singles match at the Australian Open as he recovered from a set down to edge past Laslo Djere of Serbia 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) and reached the second round. Wawrinka, now 40, will retire at the end of the season after a supreme career that includes three grand slam titles at the Australian, French and US Open.

“I know I’m not as good as I was before,” Wawrinka said. “I know I’m not physical and tennis-wise as I was before. That’s normal. I’m getting old. But I’m still happy with what I’m doing, always trying to push my own limit, always trying to be better. I’m happy that I had the chance to win match in slams here.”

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