Novak Djokovic didn’t have to hit a single ball, but he still walked away with history in his pocket.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion booked his place in the Australian Open quarter-finals via a walkover after Jakub Mensik was forced to withdraw with an abdominal injury.
The pair were scheduled for a night-session showdown on Rod Laver Arena, but Mensik — the 20-year-old Czech and Djokovic’s self-described mentor-protégé — never made it to the start line.
It was a cruel twist for Mensik, who had battled through a tight third-round win over Ethan Quinn just two days earlier. But injuries don’t wait for moments, and Djokovic advanced without breaking a sweat.
And with that, another Federer record quietly fell.
The walkover handed Djokovic his 103rd
Australian Open match win, pushing him past Roger Federer’s long-standing mark of 102 in Melbourne.
Most Australian Open Wins By A Single Player
- Novak Djokovic – 103*
- Roger Federer – 102
- Rafael Nadal – 77
- Stefan Edberg – 57
- Andy Murray – 53
It didn’t stop there.
By reaching the last eight, Djokovic also locked in his 16th Australian Open men’s singles quarter-final appearance — the most in the Open Era. That moves him one clear of Federer (15).
This latest milestone comes hot on the heels of another historic moment earlier in the tournament.
With his straight-sets win over Botic van de Zandschulp in round three, Djokovic became the first man in history to reach 400 match wins at the Grand Slam level. He now sits 31 wins clear of Federer on the all-time list, stretching a lead built on two decades of ruthless consistency.
Djokovic’s Grand Slam journey began back in 2005 with a win over Robby Ginepri at Roland Garros. Since then, he’s collected 24 major titles — 10 of them in Melbourne — turning the Australian Open into something close to personal property.
Now 38 and seeded fourth, Djokovic has cruised through his opening matches this fortnight, dispatching Pedro Martinez and Francesco Maestrelli in straight sets before the walkover against Mensik.
Next up, the stakes only rise. Djokovic is projected to meet two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.
