Novak Djokovic gave fans what they needed, a resounding victory at the Miami Open over Rinky Hijikata 6-0, 7-6 through clinical style. The Serbian tied legendary Rafael Nadal for the most ATP Masters 1000 match wins and broke free from his three-match losing streak.
The match also marked Djokovic’s return to Miami for the first time since 2019 and his record 501st match at Masters 1000 level. He bounced back well on Friday, improved to 45-7. Djokovic was all smiles, saying he played really well at a very high level from the beginning. He told reporters that he knew exactly what he wanted to do tactically.
About his opponent Rinky Hijikata, the GOAT said he played him in the first match of the season in Brisbane. Before the match, Djokovic did his homework – looked at those videos. He wants to celebrate his 100th win at Miami, but knows that challenges in the long tournament. “It encourages me knowing that I can play the way I played today, but it’s a long ride.”
But Djokovic is head strong and hopes to do well.
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Novak Djokovic Leads ATP Masters 1000 Winners
Novak Djokovic has equalled with Rafal Nadal, 22-time major winner, for the ATP Masters 1000 wins (410) since the series debut in 1990. Here is a table of the winners:
| Player | W-L | Titles |
| Novak Djokovic | 410-91 | 40 |
| Rafael Nadal | 410-90 | 36 |
| Roger Federer | 381-108 | 28 |
| Andy Murray | 230-101 | 14 |
| Andre Agassi | 209-73 | 17 |
Now, Djokovic aims to move aside Andre Agassi (6) for the most titles in Miami tournament history. He is set to face Camilo Ugo Caracelli in the third round.
