Djokovic makes slice of history

Novak Djokovic made a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all also winners on a rainy day four.

Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a row before defeating Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2.

It was Djokovic's 430th singles match at a major to claim sole ownership of most ever played, men or women, in the Open era ahead of Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423).

The Serb is chasing an 11th Australian Open title and historic 25th Grand Slam crown.

"Grand Slams, of course, they are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of the sport," said Djokovic, 37, now coached by former rival Andy Murray.

"Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I'm just blessed to be making another record."

Djokovic is drawn to meet Spain's red-hot Alcaraz in the last eight.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped just five games in an ominous display of strength to sprint into the third round.

The third seed showed no mercy to Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1,6-4 rout in 81 minutes.

"The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better," said Alcaraz, who is yet to go beyond the quarterfinals in Melbourne.

Sabalenka dropped her serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.

"She played incredible tennis today and it was a really tough one. I expected this tennis from her, I'm really glad I was able to win this match," said Sabalenka, who beat Zheng Qinwen in the 2024 final.

The win kept the Belarusian world No 1 on course for a rare hat-trick of consecutive Australian Open titles, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other women in history.

Former world No 1 Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion in Australia but now unseeded, stormed back to defeat 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

American seventh seed Jessica Pegula, beaten in the US Open final by Sabalenka last year, eased through 6-4,6-2 against Belgium's Elise Mertens.

AFP