Djokovic sets a record of 100 wins at the Australian Open, Coco Gauff reaches a historic milestone.
Novak Djokovic became the first player to win 100 matches at three different Grand Slams, while Coco Gauff set the record for the youngest player to reach 250 WTA wins since 2011.
The second day of competition at Melbourne Park was not just an ordinary opening round, but a stroll through the pages of world tennis history. Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff, representing two generations, together set brilliant milestones at the 2026 Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic: The ageless record holder in Melbourne
At 38 years old, Novak Djokovic still impressed fans with his dominant 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Pedro Martinez. This was not just a ticket to the second round, but also the Serbian player's 100th win at the Australian Open.
The king of perseverance and impressive statistics.
With this milestone, Djokovic became the second male player in the Open Era to achieve 100 wins at Melbourne Park, after Roger Federer (102). Even more remarkably, he made history as the first to win 100 or more matches in three different Grand Slam tournaments (Wimbledon: 102, Roland Garros: 101, Australian Open: 100).
Furthermore, Nole also equaled Federer's record of 21 appearances at the Australian Open and 81 appearances in the main draw of Grand Slam tournaments. Match statistics showcased his devastating form: 14 aces, a 77% first-serve winning percentage, and notably, he didn't face a single break point.
Coco Gauff and the rise of a new generation star.
In the women's singles, Coco Gauff continued to assert her position as a worthy successor. The American player achieved her 250th career win at the WTA level at just 21 years and 311 days old. She officially became the youngest player to reach this milestone since Caroline Wozniacki in 2011.
Gauff's strength is further demonstrated by the fact that she joined the group of female tennis players under 21 years old who have won at least 75 singles matches at Grand Slams since 2000, standing alongside legends such as Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Maria Sharapova.
Other historical highlights of the day's competition
Besides the two main highlights, the Australian Open on January 19th also recorded a series of astonishing statistics:
- Stan Wawrinka:At age 40, he became the second oldest player to win the men's singles title at Melbourne Park in the modern era.
- Iga Swiatek:The world number one player extended his streak of 25 consecutive wins in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments.
- Alex De Minaur:Reaching the milestone of 41 Grand Slam hard court wins, second in history among Australian players, after Lleyton Hewitt (79).
- Marin Cilic:Becoming the first unseeded player since 2012 to win two straight sets (6-0) in the opening match of a Grand Slam tournament.
The clash between Karolina Pliskova and Sloane Stephens also has an interesting detail: it's the first Grand Slam match between two players both outside the WTA top 500 since 1990. Overall, the consistency of the defending champions and the class of the veterans are making the 2026 Australian Open one of the most exciting tournaments in history.
