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Djokovic notches century of Melbourne victories
Novak Djokovic secured his 100th Australian Open match win on Tuesday, delivering a near-flawless serving performance to defeat Spain's Pedro Martinez in straight sets.
Serving clinic seals milestone
The 38-year-old Serb, vying for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, dropped just five of 57 service points during the two-hour match. He held serve to love eight times, lost a single point in each of the second and third sets, and converted 93% of first-serve points while maintaining a 77% first-serve percentage.
Djokovic sealed the 6-3 6-2 6-2 victory with his 14th ace of the night, extending his record as a 10-time champion in Melbourne.
Praise and perspective
Former doubles champion Mark Woodforde called Djokovic's serving "supreme" and "exceptional" on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. Djokovic, however, offered a more modest assessment: "Tonight's performance was great, I can't complain about anything. I served very well."
"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."
Novak Djokovic
With a couple of days off before his next match, Djokovic emphasized recovery and preparation for the next challenge.
Centurion status across majors
Djokovic's 100th win in Melbourne adds to his century milestones at Wimbledon (102 wins) and Roland Garros (101). A video montage of his 2005 debut played during his post-match interview, though Djokovic dismissed nostalgia, stating he won't reflect on his career until retirement.
"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."
Novak Djokovic
He credited early mentors for guiding his longevity, emphasizing physical and mental discipline. Djokovic will next face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.
Other day two highlights
Sixth seed Alex de Minaur, aiming to become the first Australian men's singles champion at the Australian Open since 1976, cruised past lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald 6-2 6-2 6-2. De Minaur, who has reached the quarterfinals at all four majors, insisted he's "playing to win it."
Elsewhere, 13th seed Andrey Rublev and 12th seed Casper Ruud advanced in straight sets, while 17th seed Jiri Lehecka suffered a surprise exit to qualifier Arthur Gea. The Frenchman will next face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka.
