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Novak Djokovic won his first-round match at the 2024 Australian Open against 18-year-old Croat Dino Prizmic. Djokovic, aiming for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title, faced a tough challenge, winning 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. The match lasted four hours and one minute, marking Djokovic's longest Grand Slam first-round match. Despite struggling at times, Djokovic praised Prizmic's gameplan and physicality.
Prizmic, the 2023 French Open junior champion, put up a strong fight in his Grand Slam main draw debut. He broke Djokovic's serve in the third set but couldn't sustain the momentum, with Djokovic winning the next eight games. Djokovic, 36, extended his Australian Open match victory streak to 29 but dropped a set in the first round for only the second time in the last 17 years.
Djokovic's next opponent will be an Australian, either 43rd-ranked Alexei Popyrin or No. 156 Marc Polmans. The article also mentions potential matchups for Djokovic in the third and fourth rounds against Andy Murray and Ben Shelton, respectively.
Other notable results from the Australian Open include Taylor Fritz, the highest-seeded American man at No. 12, needing five sets to reach the second round, and Amanda Anisimova defeating No. 13 Liudmila Samsonova in her first Slam match since returning from a mental health break.
The tournament continues with U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka in action on Monday (Sunday night in the U.S.). Osaka is playing her first Slam since returning from childbirth.
Additionally, the article highlights Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki advancing in her first match in Melbourne since ending a three-and-half-year retirement last summer. Wozniacki was leading 6-2, 2-0 when her opponent, No. 20 Magda Linette of Poland, retired due to injury.
The report provides updates on various events and players in the Australian Open, setting the stage for the upcoming matches in the tournament.
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