Novak Djokovic Breaks Record for ATP Masters 1000 Match Wins
Novak Djokovic has once again etched his name into tennis history. The Serbian superstar surpassed retired Spanish legend Rafael Nadal to become the all-time leader in ATP Masters 1000 match wins. Djokovic achieved this milestone with a commanding 6-1, 7-6(1) victory over Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli at the Miami Open on Sunday.
“I’m honored to have another milestone, another record broken,” Djokovic said after the match. “There’s always something on the line pretty much every time I play, and of course that motivates me to do well at tournaments.”
Starting the tournament with 409 Masters 1000 victories, Djokovic was just one win behind his longtime rival Nadal. With two consecutive wins in Florida, he not only tied but surpassed Nadal’s record, bringing his total to 411 match wins in Masters 1000 events.
Chasing a Seventh Miami Title
Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, is on the hunt for a record-breaking seventh title at the tournament. His next challenge comes in the form of Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, the 15th seed who defeated Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to advance.
This milestone comes nearly two decades after Djokovic’s first Masters 1000 match win against Victor Hanescu in Paris back in 2005. Since then, the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion has consistently demonstrated his dominance on the court.
Swiatek Makes History in Women’s Draw
On the women’s side, Poland’s Iga Swiatek continued to make waves. The former champion secured a 7-6(2), 6-1 win over Belgium’s Elise Mertens, becoming the first player to reach the last 16 of a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event in 25 consecutive appearances.
Swiatek built a strong 5-2 lead in the first set, but Mertens rallied to tie the score at 5-5. Swiatek regrouped to dominate the tiebreaker and carried that momentum into the second set.
“I’m happy that I got my level up in the tiebreaker to close it in two sets. Also in the second set I felt like I was playing good, big confidence,” Swiatek said. “Yeah, overall I’m happy with the performance and how I worked through some issues.”
Next up for Swiatek is Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, who overcame Czech 15th seed Karolina Muchova with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory.
