India, Jan. 17 -- Novak Djokovic has achieved yet another significant milestone in the annals of tennis by surpassing Roger Federer's record for the most Grand Slam matches played. The Serbian ace participated in his 430th Grand Slam match during his second-round triumph over qualifier Jaime Faria at the Australian Open, winning with scores of 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2. This accomplishment further solidifies Djokovic's legendary status in the sport, complementing his impressive collection of 24 major titles.

Federer, who concluded his career in 2022, had played 429 Grand Slam matches, with his last appearance resulting in a quarter-final loss to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon in 2021. At that point, Djokovic was more than 50 matches behind Federer.

"Grand Slam victories are the most significant in our sport," Djokovic remarked in an interview with Eurosport. "As a child, I dreamed of winning Wimbledon and competing in Grand Slams. I never anticipated that I would hold this record, so it was a pleasant surprise."

Djokovic, who also holds the record for the most Grand Slam match victories with 379, aims for even greater heights. "I am certainly excited to have achieved this record, and I hope to continue adding to it with more wins at the Grand Slam level," he stated.

Setting records has been a consistent theme throughout Djokovic's career. In 2022, he surpassed Federer's record for the most weeks as ATP world No. 1, extending his total to an unparalleled 428 weeks. His remarkable capacity to establish and exceed benchmarks reinforces his status as one of the greatest athletes in history.

Despite speculation that Djokovic might retire after achieving a career Golden Slam with a singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he continues to defy expectations. With 24 major titles already secured, he shows no signs of slowing down.

For a player dedicated to reshaping history, the prospect of becoming the first to compete in 500 Grand Slam matches appears well within his grasp. On Friday, Djokovic is set to face Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic in the third round of the Australian Open.

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