Novak Djokovic comfortably booked his place in the second round of the Australian Open with a straight-sets victory over Pedro Martinez.
The Serb recorded his 100th win at Melbourne Park, beating his Spanish opponent 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
He will take on Italian star Francesco Maestrelli in round two, whom he has never faced on the ATP Tour before.
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Djokovic is in pursuit of an 11th title Down Under, and a 25th Grand Slam overall, a tally that would see him surpass Margaret Court for the most majors of any man or woman in tennis history.
Following his victory on Rod Laver Arena, the 38-year-old revealed how his body was feeling.
Novak Djokovic delivers fitness update after the first round
In his on-court interview, Djokovic said: “Great to be back once again, and definitely my favourite court, a court that has given me so much.
“I try to give it back as much as I could in the last 20 plus years, and hopefully you guys enjoyed the tennis tonight. Thank you for coming.”
Discussing his physical state after beating Martinez, Djokovic said: “It always feels good at the beginning of the tournament, let’s see how I progress.
“I mean, tonight’s performance was definitely great. You know, I cannot complain about anything.
“I served very well, and obviously it’s always a challenge to kick start, you know, the competition and the tournament in a right way sending the right signal, not just yourself, but to all the opponents, you know, watching you play.
“So, you know, now I have a couple [of] days without a match, recover my body. I’m using every hour that I can to get my body recovered in shape for the next challenge, so, you know, let’s hope for the best.”
Novak Djokovic says whether he ever reflects on his achievements
Djokovic has recorded arguably the greatest career of all time, having accomplished almost everything in the sport.
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When asked if he ever reflects on his achievements, he said: “It does come more often to my mind, I think in the last couple of years, as the end is nearer than the beginning, obviously, and, you know, lots of thoughts running through my mind.
“But no, because I don’t allow myself to really, you know, hang out with those thoughts for too long, because I just feel, you know, as long as I’m playing at a high level, I don’t have time.
“The life of a tennis player is a constant journey, you know, you have every single week there’s a new competition.
“Obviously, I’m not playing as much as I used to, but, you know, once the season starts, your mind is racing and, you know, there is always a next challenge, you know, you’re done with this week, what’s the next week, next tournament, next competition, how do I get ready for it?
“So you really don’t allow yourself to really reflect too much, and, yeah, hopefully, when I put my racket aside, you know, I’ll reflect on everything.”
Djokovic’s last Australian Open title came in 2023, when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final to secure major number 22.
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