Novak Djokovic became the first player to record 400 Grand Slam singles wins by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the third round of the Australian Open on January 24, 2026. The 38-year-old Serb tied Roger Federer's record of 102 match wins at the tournament but narrowly avoided disqualification after nearly hitting a ball girl with a frustrated shot. Djokovic apologized for the incident and advanced to face Jakub Mensik in the fourth round.
Novak Djokovic's third-round match at the Australian Open was a milestone-laden affair, blending triumph with tension. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, playing under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, secured a straight-sets victory over world No. 75 Botic van de Zandschulp in two hours and 44 minutes. The 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) scoreline marked Djokovic's 400th win in Grand Slam singles, surpassing Roger Federer's 369 and extending his lead in the all-time list. It also equalized Federer's Australian Open record of 102 victories, with Djokovic now holding 102 wins and 10 losses at the event where he has claimed a record 10 titles.
The match was not without drama. Leading 6-3, 4-2 in the second set, Djokovic slapped a ball away in frustration after a deuce point, sending it perilously close to a ball girl at the net post. She ducked just in time, averting what could have been a repeat of his 2020 US Open disqualification for accidentally hitting a line judge. "I apologized for that. That was not necessary and in the heat of the moment. I was lucky there and I’m sorry for causing any distress to the ball kid or anybody," Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.
Commentators were stunned. Pat Cash on BBC Radio 5 Live noted, "I don’t even think he knew the ball kid was there. But it was three inches from getting defaulted." Jim Courier on Nine added, "That was dangerous, that went right over the top of her head." Under Grand Slam rules, such ball abuse could warrant a default, but officials took no action.
Crowd noise added to the volatility, prompting a heated exchange with chair umpire John Blom late in the third set. As Djokovic served to stay in the set at 5-6, Blom urged quiet, but Djokovic retorted, "(It’s been) two-and-a-half hours; you can’t be polite. You have to take a stand." Boos followed, yet Djokovic refocused to win the tiebreak.
Djokovic also tripped in the third set, requiring a medical timeout for a blister on his right foot. Despite the heat policy invocation earlier in the day, the night session suited him. "I managed to have a ‘good’ fall if you can say so, I could protect myself," he said, adding his body feels strong after learning from last year's injury-plagued semifinals.
Now 9-0 in sets this tournament, Djokovic eyes a 25th major. His next test is 20-year-old Jakub Mensik, who upset him in last year's Miami final and advanced by beating Ethan Quinn 6-2, 7-6(5), 7-6(5). Mensik called Djokovic "the toughest opponent at the Australian Open" but vowed to go in "hungry."
