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The Serbian legend Novak Djokovic was playing the first event of the 2025 season, but his new year did not have an ideal start as the Serb faced a defeat at the ongoing Brisbane International. He was playing in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Friday, and with the defeat, fans' wait for his 100th tour-level title win has also extended. Djokovic's defeat came at the hands of American tennis prodigy Reilly Opelka, who showcased his exceptional skills on the Australian court and advanced to the next round.
Now, the 37-year-old will be headed to Melbourne in a bid to secure his 11th Australian Open title, and he will also be joining his new coach, who used to be his opponent in the past.
A rare territory for Djokovic
In the match between Djokovic and Opelka, the American emerged victorious, securing a 7-6 (6), 6-3 win after one hour and 40 minutes of play. Opelka's powerful serving turned out to be the decider of the game. In the post-match interview, the American praised Djokovic, calling him a legend of the game and labeling him the greatest tennis player of all time. He also noted that he was able to bring his best performance against the Serbian, as he felt he had nothing to lose.
"He (Djokovic) is the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen. It is difficult being in Novak’s position because he can scout me all day long but the reality is we have nothing to lose coming in against him. So you end up playing more free and taking more risks. If you play your normal level or even above a normal level, he's going to win every time. So it's tough in his position because he gets guys that are good players that they roll the dice. And on a on a day like this when a lot of things go my way, that's how it works out," Opelka said during the interview.
Opelka will now be facing France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the semifinals while Novak Djokovic will be joining his new coach, Andy Murray, to start their preparations for the Australian Open scheduled to begin from January 6.
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