Novak Djokovic is back into the third round of yet another Australian Open, picking up his 101st match win at the tournament along the way, which is just one shy of the men’s match wins record currently held by Roger Federer.
The Serbian, despite not playing any lead-up tournament to the event, has looked in outstanding form so far, dropping just 14 games across his six sets played and getting his serve broken only once.
“Positive Signs” For Djokovic in Melbourne
A More Aggressive Style
What has been especially exciting to see is that Djokovic has been playing in a different style than his usual baseline counterpunching. To start 2026, the former World No. 1, always in pursuit of greatness, has been playing far more aggressively than usual and serving exceptionally well.
The numbers back this up. Djokovic has hit 68 winners across his two matches and has won a remarkable 89.4 percent of his first-serve points. He has now revealed that this change was by design and something he worked on during the off-season.
When asked about playing more aggressively in his post-match press conference, Djokovic said:
“I always try to work with purpose. I had a longer off-season, like the off-season before this one. When I have more time, then I obviously try to look at my game and different elements that I can really improve. Otherwise, what’s the point? I’m really happy I’m able to play this way, considering the lack of competitive matches for more than two months. It’s all been positive so far, positive signs. But I’ve got to keep it up, obviously.”
Still Chasing History
Every indication Djokovic gave during the off-season suggested he is not a player on the verge of a retirement tour, but someone still looking to improve and push for what would be a historic 25th Major title.
He first explained that the longer off-season allowed him to focus on getting physically fit again, “rebuilding the machine,” and the addition of biomechanics and recovery specialist Dr. Kovacs further reinforced that commitment.
And if the start of 2026 is anything to go by, Djokovic is once again telling the tennis world that he is here to compete for the biggest prizes the sport has to offer, even with the difficult challenges that lie ahead.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – Imagn Images
