‘Absolutely incredible’ Novak Djokovic hailed by former world No 1 after strong Australian Open start
Justine Henin claimed that tennis is “incredibly lucky” to still have Novak Djokovic competing after the Serbian’s impressive start to his Australian Open campaign.
Fourth seed and 10-time Australian Open champion Djokovic was in hugely impressive form inside the Rod Laver Arena on Monday night, with the 38-year-old making light work of world No 71 Pedro Martinez.
The Serbian needed just two hours to claim a comprehensive 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over his Spanish opponent, with Djokovic rarely tested on his way to picking up a historic 100th match win at the tournament.
It was Djokovic’s first match and first win of the year, and he emphatically dispelled any injury concerns that may have lingered beforehand, while also avoiding the rust that has dogged some of his early-stage Grand Slam matches in recent years.
The manner of the 38-year-old’s win will have undoubtedly provided him with a huge confidence boost right at the start of what is his 21st main-draw appearance at the event, with Djokovic tying Roger Federer for the most men’s singles appearances at the tournament in the Open Era.
Several former tennis stars and leading pundits were left impressed with Djokovic’s performance, with tennis great Henin among those to heap praise on his confident victory.
Speaking on Eurosport France, the former world No 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion paid tribute to Djokovic’s longevity and his strong opening-round display.
She said (translated from French): “It’s absolutely incredible, and whether you like him or not, you can’t help but admire what he’s doing, the good he’s still doing for tennis, especially what he brings to the table during on-court interviews.
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“People are happy to see him back on the court where he’s accomplished so much. We’re incredibly lucky to still have him at this level.
“Of course, we can put the adversity he faced today into perspective, but to enter a Grand Slam the way he did, with such precision, focus, and composure… We’ve definitely seen him play worse in his opening matches.
“He was flying on the court, he was energetic, calm, and focused. The signs are all positive.”
Though Djokovic was not on court for an excessive amount of time on Monday, he will still benefit from the luxury of two full days off before he returns to court for round two action.
With opening-round matches at the Australian Open spread across three days, the Serbian’s placement on the bottom half of the draw means he will not play again until Thursday.
The 38-year-old will be the overwhelming favourite when he takes to the court against qualifier Francesco Maestrelli, with the world No 141 making his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
After coming through qualifying, the 23-year-old Italian battled past Terence Atmane in five sets to book a blockbuster clash against the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion.
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