LIVE: Insane stats behind Djoker’s Aus Open chokehold as teen eyes all-time upset

Novak Djokovic has stared down Father Time before and won – this time it took the form of an 18-year-old Croatian.

The 10-time Australian Open champion avoided a serious upset bid from qualifier Dino Prizmic, who is half his age, on the opening night at Melbourne Park prevailing 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 on his beloved Rod Laver Arena.

But it was a remarkable struggle, given Prizmic had never played in a grand slam main draw before Sunday night, and made a mockery of the tournament’s new rules intended to avoid late night finishes.

Djokovic and Prizmic hadn’t even completed the third set when the clock ticked over three hours, eventually becoming the longest first-round match of the Serbian’s career – surpassing a 2005 meeting with Gael Monfils in New York.

While Prizmic fell away late in the third set and early in the fourth, he recovered and saved a whopping six match points before finally falling short – and left a clear impression on the tennis world.

“We’re witnessing a new superstar of the sport. I really think that,” Pat Cash said on BBC Radio.

The marathon left reigning Australian Open women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka waiting until 11:41pm to begin her first-round clash with qualifier Ella Seidel.

However she took just 53 minutes to prevail 6-0 6-1.

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Aussie FUMES at crucial umpire ‘mistake’ | 00:41

Eyeing an all-time record 25th grand slam title and having not lost at Melbourne Park since 2018, things looked normal when Djokovic broke the 2023 French Open juniors champion’s serve in the opening game of the match, rolling to the first set triumph.

But then the Croatian began to stir, with an excited crowd behind him – and frustrating Djokovic. Called for a time violation while serving at 15-40, a wicked cross-court forehand by Prizmic saw him break the Serb.

“That was an insane game,” John McEnroe said on Nine.

“Culminating with the best forehand he’s ever hit in his life, probably.”

Commentating on Eurosport, Nick Kyrgios declared: “This guy’s good!”

Djokovic, who breaks back immediately more often than any player on tour, broke back immediately.

But he was taken to a second-set tiebreak where, returning at 2-2, he raged over a fan making noise during a point – yelling “shut the f*** up!”

Immediately after the eruption he made two unforced errors to lose points on his serve, and gave Prizmic three set points – on the third, Djokovic made another error, dropping the set 7-6(5).

Prizmic became the first player to take a set off Djokovic at Melbourne Park since Enzo Couacaud in the second round last year; before that you have to go back to the 2021 quarter-finals.

Jim Courier expected Djokovic to respond quickly.

“I would suggest he (Prizmic) enjoy this moment while at last because it’s probably going to be fleeting. Novak will probably pull away here in a minute. But you never know,” he said on Nine.

Prizmic was broken in his opening service game of the third set, double-faulting on break point – but recovered to break straight back.

“That belief now is there. Prizmic thinks he can win this and he is playing unbelievable,” Nick Kyrgios said.

Prizmic held multiple break points at 2-2, twice sending a second serve back long, before finally converting for a 3-2 lead. His advantages were coming in the longer points, as in points lasting nine shots or longer, he had won 21 of 34.

Yet Djokovic again broke straight back, the pair taking 52 minutes to get through six games.

Two more break points for Prizmic at 15-40 in the ensuing game were saved, Djokovic winning four points in a row to finally take a lead in the set.

He then broke for 5-3, cupping his hand to his ear asking the fans for some noise, before a lengthy service game allowed him to claim the third set 6-3.

The intensity of the match seemed to be impacting Prizmic with Djokovic breaking for 1-0 to begin the fourth set.

“It took three hours-plus, but it seems finally that it’s starting to catch up to him,” John McEnroe said on Nine.

Just when things seemed done and dusted, Prizmic got a break back to trail 2-4, forcing the Serb to remain at a high level as 11pm neared, but he got the job done.

Djokovic has never lost a Grand Slam match to a player ranked as low as No.178 Prizmic (the lowest-ranked player to beat the Serb at a slam was No.117 Denis Istomin in the second round of the AO in 2017).

In fact, he’s never lost to a qualifier at a slam (now 25-0) and has reached the second round in 17 consecutive Australian Open appearances.

START TIME ‘FIX’ EXPOSED ON DAY ONE

Aryna Sabalenka and German qualifier Ella Seidel were still waiting to begin their Rod Laver Arena clash after 11pm with the surprisingly long night session opener testing the new Australian Open rules, intended to avoid late nights.

Only two matches are now played in the day session, to avoid the occasions where one of the three matches would run long and force a late start to the night session, flowing on to a late finish.

But three hours into Sunday’s night session Djokovic and Prizmic were still midway through their third set, needing at least one more after that, leaving last year’s women’s champion to wait for a start close to midnight.

The ATP and WTA tours are looking to trial rules which guarantee matches cannot start after 11pm but this rule has not been introduced at the Australian Open.

On the women’s side 2023 semi-finalist and No.20 seed Magda Linette quickly appeared in major trouble against returning superstar Caroline Wozniacki.

She called for the trainer midway through the first set and required a medical timeout after the set.

The Pole then retired hurt at 2-6 0-2, struggling with her movement and unable to continue, meaning she will lose a mammoth amount of points for her ranking.

Only one Australian won on day one so far with Jason Kubler failing to copy Chris O’Connell’s five-set feat from earlier in the day.

DAY 1 ORDER OF PLAY (Show courts + Aussies in action)

Night session from 7pm AEDT, unless listed

ROD LAVER ARENA