Novak Djokovic wins opening match at Australian Open, eyes 25th Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic made a solid start to his Australian Open campaign with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 victory over American Nishesh Basavareddy in the first round.

Djokovic, a ten-time champion in Melbourne, was joined by new coach Andy Murray, who provided on-court advice after the third set.

After the match, he praised Basavareddy for his performance, acknowledging that the young American played better for a set and a half. Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, was impressed by the challenge Basavareddy posed despite not being familiar with his game until just a few days ago.

While Djokovic appreciated the guidance from his former rival, he admitted that having Murray in his corner felt “a little bit of a strange experience.”

The two have competed against each other for over 20 years, and Djokovic described the coaching setup as a new dynamic. “It’s all business for us now,” said Djokovic, emphasising how useful Murray’s perspective was during the match.

In other Australian Open action, Britain’s Jacob Fearnley stunned the home crowd by defeating Nick Kyrgios in straight sets, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (1). Kyrgios, who has been plagued by injuries, struggled for form in his first singles match since October 2022, as Fearnley broke serve just once and dominated the match. Kyrgios, who had been the center of much anticipation for his return, now faces an uncertain future in the tournament.

"Realistically I can't see myself playing a singles match here again," he said.