Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic had a fierce start to the 2024 tournament as he battled to win over qualifier Dino Prizmic in the first round.
The Serb, chasing a record-extending 11th men’s title in Australia, needed four hours and one minute to beat the 18-year-old Croat 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4.
Prizmic was playing in his first Grand Slam match but successfully saved six match points before eventually losing to Djokovic.
“He gave me a run for my money,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview.
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“He deserves all the applause. He is an amazing player, he handled himself incredibly well on the court. This is his moment.
“It could easily have been his match as well. He showed great mentality and resilience
“I certainly want to be in his corner. So hopefully he will invite me, because he will make some big things in his career that’s for sure.”
36-year-old Djokovic is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, and will face Alexei Popyrin or Marc Polmans in the second round.
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