Melbourne [Australia], January 13 : Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic started a new era of his career under the guidance of coach and former rival Andy Murray, securing a win over USA's Nishesh Basavareddy in the first round of Australian Open on Monday.
Djokovic, chasing his 11th record-extending Australian Open title, 25th record-breaking Grand Slam title and a century of ATP Tour-level titles, looked a little off at times, even losing the first set. Eventually, he made a comeback to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in a match that lasted nearly three hours.
During the course of the match, Djokovic looked at Murray as a source of that extra energy and advice.
Nishesh was unfazed by a gigantic challenge in front of him at the Rod Laver Arena, with him winning a long, challenging first set. However, keeping up with Djokovic proved to be a massive task and the USA player needed a medical time-out after losing the second set. The 24-time Grand Slam champion gained his fluency as match progressed and converted all three break points and advanced into round two.
Speaking after the match, Djokovic said he is thrilled to have Murray by his side.
"It is all business now for us, I am thrilled to have him in my corner. It was a little bit of a strange experience to have him courtside in my box. We played against each other for over 20 years, and it is great to have him on the same side of the net," he said, according to ATP website.
"He gave me some great advice mid-match. It is really good we have the opportunity to exchange some feedback and get our coaches to tell us what they see. It has been a great experience [with Murray], hopefully we do not stop here," he added.
Djokovic was also full of praise for his opponent, calling him deserving of all the praises earned.
"He (Nishesh) was the better player for a set and a half, he deserved every bit of applause that he got. It was a great performance. These kinds of match-ups are always tricky [and] dangerous. He has nothing to lose in his first match at a Grand Slam. He pleasantly surprised me with all of his shots until the very end, so I wish him all the best for the future," said the legendary player.
The seventh-seeded Djokovic will next play qualifier Jaime Faria in round two.