Novak Djokovic reacts to surpassing Roger Federer's incredible Grand Slam record: 'It caught me by surprise'

Novak Djokovic etched another remarkable milestone in tennis history by surpassing Roger Federer’s record for the most Grand Slam matches played. The Serbian superstar played his 430th Grand Slam match during his second-round victory against qualifier Jaime Faria at the Australian Open, winning 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2. The achievement extended Djokovic’s legendary status in the sport, adding to his already glittering resume of 24 major titles. Novak Djokovic during a press conference at Australian Open(AFP)

Federer, who retired in 2022, played 429 Grand Slam matches, with his final appearance ending in a quarter-final defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon 2021. At that time, Djokovic trailed Federer by more than 50 matches.

“Grand Slam wins are what counts the most in our sport,” Djokovic said in an interview with Eurosport. “So you know I’ve been dreaming as a kid to win Wimbledon, to play Grand Slams. I never thought that I’ll hold this record, to be honest, so it caught me by surprise, pleasantly, of course.”

Djokovic, who also holds the record for the most Grand Slam match wins with 379, has his sights set even higher. “Of course I’m thrilled to get this record and hopefully I can keep it going for at least a few more wins on the Grand Slam level,” he added.

Breaking records has been a recurring theme in Djokovic’s career. In 2022, he overtook Federer’s record for the most weeks as ATP world No. 1, extending his tally to an unmatched 428 weeks. His extraordinary ability to set and surpass benchmarks underscores his position as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

While many speculated that Djokovic might retire after completing his career Golden Slam with a singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Serbian continues to prove them wrong. With 24 major titles already under his belt, he is far from done.

For a player who thrives on rewriting history, the possibility of becoming the first to play 500 Grand Slam matches seems well within reach. On Friday, Djokovic will meet Tomas Machac of Czech Republic in the third round match at the Australian Open; the Serbian last won the title in Australia in 2023.

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