Australian Open: Djokovic strongly challenged by 18-year-old Prizmic

The 36-year-old Serb was enormously challenged by the 18-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic before he prevailed after 4:01 hours with 6:2,6:7(5),6:3,6:4. In the third set, the outsider was already leading 3-2 with a break, but Djokovic held on.

Djokovic celebrated his 29th victory in a row in Melbourne and was relieved after the result only seemed to be a safe victory. The world number 178 challenged the number one for long stretches, continued to fight even when the deficit was hopeless and at the end received praise from Djokovic for several minutes. Only after the seventh match point was “Djoker” allowed to take a deep breath.

“He deserves every applause today, he’s a great player and so mature for his age. The match could have gone for him too. He really gave me a run for my money,” said Djokovic about the Croatian, a compatriot of his coach Goran Ivanisevic. “He will achieve some big things in his career,” suspected the world number one. “Phew, when I think about it, I’m twice as old as him,” he caused laughter in the audience, which also included Andre Agassi.

Co-favorite Jannik Sinner had already presented himself in his first match of the year in the same way he finished 2023. The number four seeded Italian and Vienna winner had a very strong finish to the season and defeated Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in the fall. He won against the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6:4.7:5.6:3. “That was my first match of the season and it means a lot to me to have won,” said Sinner, who was cheered on by the “Carrot Boys”, a group of fans dressed as carrots.

Sinner is one of the group of challengers who want to upset the 24-time major winner Djokovic in Melbourne. Another is Andrei Rublev. The Russian, who often failed due to his short temper, needed 3:42 hours to defeat the Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 7:5.6:4.3:6.4:6.7:6(6). The world number 78. showed great shots against number five and fended off three match points in the fifth set at 5:6. Then he went 3-0 ahead in the tiebreak before Rublew took the game.

“I won’t forget this match,” said Rublev afterward. He remembered Medvedev’s defeat at Roland Garros against Seyboth Wild the previous year. “Thiago is a super dangerous opponent,” he praised the South American. Stefanos Tsitsipas has a new opponent because there is no first round hit against Matteo Berrettini. The Italian had to pass due to a foot injury, the Belgian Zizou Bergs is now the Greek’s first hurdle as a lucky loser.

After Dominic Thiem’s ​​opening match on Monday (2nd match after 9 a.m. CET) against Felix Auger-Aliassime (FRA-27), Sebastian Ofner’s first round date is now also set. Austria’s number one will face the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis on Tuesday night (3rd match, not before 6 a.m. CET/both live ServusTV) in the 10,300-fan John Cain Arena. Both matches take place in any weather thanks to the extendable roof.

In the women’s race, former champion Caroline Wozniacki had an easy time of it in her Melbourne comeback after four years. Last year’s semi-finalist Magda Linette, seeded number 20, had to retire injured at 2:6.0:2. “Of course I didn’t want it to end like this. I hope it’s not too bad and she’ll be fit again soon,” said the Dane towards her Polish opponent.

The young tennis players were already remarkable on the first day of the tournament: two 16-year-olds, the Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova and the Russian Alina Kornejewa, made it to round two. Fruhvirtova defeated the Romanian Ana Bogdan 2:6.6:4.6:3, Korneyeva won against the Spanish Sara Sorribes Tormo with 4:6.6:3.6:2. The last time two 16-year-olds made it through the first round of a Grand Slam tournament was in Wimbledon in 2007: the later world number one Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark and the later two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist from Vorarlberg, Tamira Paszek.