Novak Djokovic made a winning start at the Miami Masters. The six-time champion took down Rinky Hijikata 6-0, 7-6 in the second round, moving through and achieving the ultimate Masters 1000 milestone.
Novak celebrated his 410th triumph at this level, matching Rafael Nadal’s record and hoping to pass his great rival in the third round. Nadal ended his career with 410 Masters 1000 victories, struggling in 2023 and 2024 and adding only a couple to his tally.
The Serb could have passed him in 2024. However, the Serb did not enter too many Masters 1000 events, focusing on Majors and the Olympic Games in Paris. Novak fell to Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai Masters final, finishing the season with 409 Masters 1000 wins.
.@MarcAnthony: certified @DjokerNole fan 🤩@atptour | @TennisTV pic.twitter.com/vS7kBzRjAb
— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 22, 2025
The legend failed to catch Nadal in Indian Wells after a tough second-round loss to Botic van de Zandschulp. Djokovic fixed that in Miami, playing well against Hijikata and achieving a notable feat at 37.
Novak’s 400th Masters 1000 win came in Indian Wells last year. With Nadal ending his career, it was clear that Djokovic would pass him and become the record-holder, maintaining a high level a couple of months before turning 38.
Miami Open 2025© Stream screenshot
Novak’s first Masters 1000 triumph came in Paris in 2005 when the 18-year-old qualified for the main draw and showed his potential. Djokovic has won at least one match at this level in 21 consecutive seasons, confirming his incredible consistency!
The Serb grabbed five victories at this level in 2006 before taking charge in 2007. His first Masters 1000 crown came in Miami 18 years ago, and he never looked back. Between 2011 and 2016, Novak produced mind-blowing numbers at the premium ATP series.
Miami Open 2025© Stream screenshot
The Serb lifted five trophies in 2011 and collected 31 wins. He added 16 titles to his tally between Shanghai 2013 and Canada 2016! He played in eight finals in 2015 and generated 30 straight wins between 2014 and 2015!
Novak has been focused on Majors since 2018. However, he managed to win more Masters 1000 titles by 2023, moving closer to that elusive 400th victory. It came last year, and Djokovic needed 12 more months to match Rafael Nadal’s record before leaving his great rival behind for good.
Tennis World USA