Djokovic Overcomes Tough Challenge in Australian Open Opener Against Prizmic

Novak Djokovic faced a stern challenge in his quest for an 11th Australian Open title, securing a hard-fought four-set win against 18-year-old qualifier Dino Prizmic. Despite being labeled “almost impossible to beat” by Nick Kyrgios, Djokovic found himself tested by the world No. 178 Prizmic.

The defending champion prevailed 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in a contest lasting over four hours. Djokovic’s next opponent will be determined between Alexei Popyrin and Marc Polmans, both Australians. Despite an early appearance of a routine match, Prizmic’s resilience pushed Djokovic to raise his level, eventually securing a hard-fought victory in the longest first-round Grand Slam match of Djokovic’s career.