Novak Djokovic equals epic Rafael Nadal record as he snaps alarming losing streak
Novak Djokovic snapped his three-match losing streak as he won his opening contest at the Miami Open and it allowed him to draw level with great rival Rafael Nadal is an epic list of winners at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
Djokovic started impressively against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata as he won the opening set 6-0, but he was made to fight for victory as he was pushed into a tie-break in the second set as he won it 7-1.
It ended a losing streak for Djokovic that included his withdrawal from his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev in January and defeats against Matteo Berrettini and Botic van de Zandschulp.
In the curious atmosphere of the huge arena inside the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida, Djokovic showed flashes of brilliance against an opponent who grew into the match, as he won his first match in Miami since 2019.
No 4 seed Djokovic took the opening set with ease 6-0 but was taken the distance in the second before triumphing 7-1 in the tie-break.
The win allowed him to draw level with Nadal on 410 wins in ATP Masters 1000 tournament and a victory in his next match in Miami will him top of the all-time list of winners in the most prestigious ATP Tour events.
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“I was playing really well, at a very high level from the beginning,” said Djokovic.
“I knew exactly what I wanted to do tactically. I played him in the first match of the season in Brisbane. So I think it was good to do some homework, look at those videos.
“I know that the stats and the metrics have not been that great for me post Australia. Obviously it took me a little bit more time after an injury to really find that groove, find that movement, that rhythm, that striking zone. I love the way I was practising actually the last seven to 10 days and had some great, great sessions on this court as well.
“I’m obviously excited to compete to keep on playing at the highest level when I play this way. Obviously it’s always a pleasure when you come back to an amazing city like Miami after six years of absence and I’ve had this many people in the first match, so I’m really, really grateful for their support.”
A strong run in Miami will be important for Djokovic as he looks ahead to his biggest targets in 2025, with his mission to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the top of that list.
He is currently at No 5 in the ATP Rankings and would want to get back into the top four to ensure he avoids an early meeting with the game’s top players at the French Open, which gets underway in late May.
Djokovic is chasing his seventh title in Miami and if he goes all the way and lifts the title, he would be just a few ranking points behind world No 4 Taylor Fritz heading into the European clay court swing next month.
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