Djokovic survives wobble to launch bid for record 25th Slam crown / Photo: DAVID GRAY - AFP
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Djokovic survives wobble to launch bid for record 25th Slam crown
Novak Djokovic survived a first-set scare on Monday to begin his quest for an 11th Australian Open title and record 25th Grand Slam crown in shaky fashion.
The 37-year-old was flat-footed and out of ideas early on against teenage American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy, who was making his Grand Slam main draw debut.
The 19-year-old stunned Djokovic by winning the first set in front of a shocked Melbourne Park crowd.
But the Serbian slowly began to get his measure, battling through 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 with new coach Andy Murray sitting quietly courtside on Rod Laver Arena in one of the newly introduced "coaching pods".
The win put Djokovic into the second round in Melbourne for an 18th consecutive year.
"At the end it was great but I think he was the better player for a set-and-a-half," said seventh seed Djokovic. "He deserves every bit of applause that he got.
"These kind of matchups are always tricky, dangerous when you are playing someone who has nothing to lose. He's a very complete player."
The veteran appeared unsure how to handle the athletic youngster at first.
At 3-3 in the first set Djokovic left a lob that instead landed in to give his opponent three break points and the American converted with a crosscourt backhand, to gasps from the crowd.
With Djokovic spraying shots long and wide, Basavareddy wrapped up a set in which the Serb made 11 unforced errors and failed to convert any of the three break points he worked.
The shock of going behind on a court he has long owned woke up Djokovic and he clawed back in the second set, earning his first break to go 5-3 ahead and serving out to level the match, roaring in elation.
The American needed treatment on his left leg at the changeover and wasn't the same player afterwards as Djokovic twisted the knife and raced to victory.
Djokovic hired long-time rival Murray, who retired last year, to help him get back to winning ways after a lean 2024 where he failed to collect a major for the first time since 2017.
While he earned Olympic gold, the Slams were dominated by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic is adamant he can still compete with the world's best but his struggles against a player ranked 107 did little to dispel any doubts.
He will next play Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria in his bid to win one more Slam and surpass Margaret Court's 24 as the best ever.
Should he go all the way, it will be his 100th career title, just the third man in the Open era to reach the milestone behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
W.Wouters--JdB
