With 100 match wins at three Slams – and approaching the mark at the fourth – Novak Djokovic sets another marker for greatness and longevity | Tennis News

Timeless greatness on the tennis court requires a combination of success and longevity. In a sport where the narrative is largely set the four Grand Slam tournaments, the number of titles at these high-profile events is generally considered the yardstick for greatness.In that regard, Novak Djokovic – with 24 Grand Slam singles titles – is the most successful (or greatest, take your pick). This haul has been achieved over a career spanning more than two decades and sustained excellence on a variety of surfaces and in different conditions.On Monday in Melbourne, the Serb became the first male player to have at least 100 match wins at three of the four Grand Slams, and he isn’t too far from doing it at the fourth – the US Open.
What was the unique achievement for Djokovic in Melbourne on Monday?
The Serb’s first-round win over Spain’s Pedro Martinez, in straight sets, was his 100th at the Australian Open. The landmark is hardly surprising as Djokovic is a 10-time champion at Melbourne Park and has been playing in the senior draw there since 2005.
Has he done so at the other Grand Slams also?
Yes. Djokovic has 101 match wins at Roland Garros, where he’s a three-time champion. At Wimbledon, where the Serb has lifted the trophy seven times, he has 102 match wins.Story continues below this ad
How many matches has Djokovic won at the US Open?
Djokovic has 95 wins at Flushing Meadows in New York, and can reach a century there if he reaches the semifinals there this year.
Who are the others to have won 100 matches at a single Grand Slam?
The only other players, apart from Djokovic, to have won a century of matches at one or more Grand Slams are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, which lends credibility to their period of dominance.Story continues below this ad
Federer won a record 102 matches at the Australian Open, where he clinched the title six times, and a record 105 at Wimbledon, where he is a record eight-time champion. Nadal, who ruled the Roland Garros clay during his time, taking the trophy no less than 14 times, won an astonishing 112 matches there.
Why is the century of matches at one particular tournament so special?
Grand Slam tournaments are the pinnacle of the sport, held over two weeks and considered to have the toughest competition in the sport.
A player needs to navigate seven matches to win the title, so they need to play, at the very least, 15 editions of an event to reach 100. But even the greatest of players are vulnerable to upsets; Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic had to sustain their excellence for two decades or more to get there.Story continues below this ad
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Pedro Martinez of Spain in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
That explains why Federer won ‘only’ 73 matches at French Open and 89 at the US Open. Nadal had 77 match wins at the Australian Open, and is not among the top five for Wimbledon and the US Open, where he had a combined haul of six titles.
Apart from the ‘Big Three’, who has the most match wins at individual Grand Slams?
Jimmy Connors still holds the record for the most match wins at the US Open – 98 – which may fall to Djokovic later this year. He has 84 match wins at Wimbledon. Guillermo Vilas has 58 wins at Roland Garros – Bjorn Borg, who won the title six times, is not in the top five as he retired prematurely. Stefan Edberg won 56 matches at the Australian Open. But there’s a caveat: a lot of American and European players didn’t turn up for the Australian Open for a long time because of the long dance.
Has any woman won 100 or more matches at a single Grand Slam?Story continues below this ad
Martina Navratilova won an incredible 120 singles matches at Wimbledon. Serena Williams (108) and Chris Evert (101) have done so at the US Open.