Novak Djokovic matches tennis legend Rafael Nadal’s huge milestone with victory in Miami Open debut

Novak Djokovic made his Miami Open debut with a win over Rinky Hijikata and reached a milestone previously held by Rafael Nadal.

Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic. © Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesSerbian superstar Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic made his debut at the Miami Open on Friday with a solid 6-0, 7-6 victory over Rinky Hijikata in the round of 64. This result allowed the Serbian superstar to equal an impressive record held by Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic now joins Nadal at the top of the ATP Tour’s all-time list for most match wins in Masters 1000 tournaments, with both players boasting 410 victories. The two are nearly identical in terms of losses, with Rafa suffering 90 defeats and Novak one more at 91.

In third place is the other legend of their generation, Roger Federer, who earned 381 Masters 1000 victories, alongside 108 losses. Further down the list are Andy Murray (230-101) and Andre Agassi (209-73). It’s important to note that the Masters 1000 series began in 1990, that’s the reason why tennis legends from earlier decades are absent from this ranking.

Djokovic’s dominance in the Masters 1000 series is clear not just from his number of victories, but also from his record number of titles. The Serbian is the most successful player in Masters 1000 history, with 40 titles to his name. Nadal follows closely with 36, while Federer has claimed 28 titles.

Former tennis player Rafael Nadal.

Former tennis player Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic reflects on his performance

After his debut victory at the Miami Open, Novak Djokovic spoke to the press about his performance against Hijikata. “I was playing really well, at a very high level from the beginning,” he said, according to the official ATP Tour website. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do tactically. I played him in the first match of the season in Brisbane, so I think it was good to do some homework, look at those videos.”

Novak also discussed his progress in the 2025 season. “I know that the stats and the metrics haven’t been that great for me post-Australia,” he acknowledged. “Obviously, it took me a little bit more time after an injury to really find that groove, find that movement, that rhythm, that striking zone.”

On his expectations for the near future, Djokovic was candid: “I love the way I was practising actually the last seven to 10 days and had some great, great sessions on this court as well… I’m obviously excited to compete and keep on playing at the highest level when I play this way.” He also shared his thoughts on returning to the Miami Open: “Obviously, it’s always a pleasure when you come back to an amazing city like Miami after six years of absence, and I’ve had this many people in the first match, so I’m really, really grateful for their support.”

What’s next for Djokovic?

After his round of 64 win over Rinky Hijikata, Novak Djokovic now looks ahead to his next challenge at the Miami Masters 1000. On Sunday, he will face Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli, currently ranked 65th in the world. Should Djokovic advance, he will play the winner of the match between Lorenzo Musetti and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the round of 16.