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Novak Djokovic has made a winning start to his 2024 Australian Open campaign, battling past 18-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic in the first round on Sunday night, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4.

And it’s a milestone victory: the 90th Australian Open win of Djokovic's career, just the third tennis player ever to hit that number after Roger Federer (102) and Serena Williams (92).

Djokovic now has 90 or more wins at three of the four majors.

DJOKOVIC WIN-LOSS RECORD BY MAJOR:

90-8 at Australian Open
92-16 at Roland Garros
92-11 at Wimbledon
88-13 at US Open

He’s already the only tennis player ever to have 80 or more career wins at all four majors, and he’s now two US Open wins away from making that 90 or more career wins at all four majors.

Only one other tennis player has even had 70 or more career wins at all four majors—Federer, with 102 at the Australian Open, 73 at Roland Garros, 105 at Wimbledon and 89 at the US Open.

After splitting the first two sets with Prizmic, Djokovic was down an early break in the third set before bouncing back to prevail in four sets.

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After cruising through the first set on Sunday night, Djokovic dropped the second set in a tie-break and found himself down a break at 3-2 in the third—but that’s when the 10-time Australian Open champion bounced back, winning eight games in a row to take the third and build a 4-0, double-break lead in the fourth.

Prizmic got one of the breaks back but it was just a little bit too late as Djokovic wouldn’t let go of the second break and served the match out after four hours and one minute on court.

“He deserved every applause, every credit that he got tonight,” Djokovic said of Prizmic in his on-court interview with Jim Courier. “He’s an amazing player, I must say, so mature for his age. He handled himself on the court incredibly well.

“This is his moment, honestly. I mean, it could have easily been his match as well, he was a break up in the third. He fought, even though he was 4-0 down and a break point down for 5-0, he fought, he showed great mentality, resilience.

"He made me really run for my money tonight, that’s for sure.”

Djokovic has now won his last 68 first-round matches at majors.

Up next for the world No. 1 will be the winner of the all-Aussie first-round match between Alexei Popyrin and wild card Marc Polmans.

Recognised by his opponent and then the crowd.

Well done, Dino. We look forward to seeing you grace this stage again.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/c5GHSTU7pc
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2024

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