Novak Djokovic made history this Sunday at the Miami Open, surpassing Rafael Nadal to set a new record for the most wins at ATP Masters 1000 events. Djokovic’s 411th career victory in this prestigious category came after defeating Argentine player Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-1, 7-6(1) in the tournament’s third round. This achievement makes Djokovic the player with the highest number of Masters 1000 victories since the format was introduced in 1990, overtaking Nadal’s previous record of 410.
Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, now advances to the round of 16, where he’ll face Lorenzo Musetti. The Italian secured his place after a hard-fought comeback victory against Felix Auger-Aliassime, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic has a favorable record against Musetti, having won seven out of their previous eight encounters. Their most recent match took place in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics, where Djokovic triumphed comfortably 6-4, 6-2.
The match against Carabelli had two clearly distinct phases. Djokovic dominated the opening set effortlessly, finishing it off quickly at 6-1. However, the second set proved significantly more challenging, as Carabelli fought hard and matched Djokovic game for game, eventually forcing the set into a tense tiebreaker. After a prolonged battle lasting one hour and 41 minutes, Djokovic regained his composure and closed out the match decisively with a 7-6(1) tiebreak victory.
After securing this landmark victory, Djokovic expressed his excitement and gratitude: “It’s an honor to reach another milestone and break another record. There’s always something significant on the line whenever I play, and that motivates me to perform at my best.” He emphasized that chasing the number-one ranking isn’t what drives him, but rather the joy of competing at the highest possible level: “If the top ranking comes as a result of the great results and titles I win throughout the season, then it’s fantastic. But that’s not my ultimate goal. My focus remains playing my best tennis in Grand Slams and the tournaments I compete in. I’m not specifically chasing ranking points.”
This latest achievement places Djokovic as the player with the most titles at the Masters 1000 level, amassing a record-breaking total of 40 titles. Additionally, he has reached 59 Masters finals and 78 semifinals throughout his illustrious career. Djokovic’s next immediate target is winning his seventh Miami Open title.
On the women’s side, Paula Badosa continued her promising run, defeating Denmark’s Clara Tauson 6-3, 7-6(3) in their third-round clash. The Spanish player, currently on a path of recovery from persistent back issues dating back to 2023, secured a spot in the round of 16, where she will face Alexandra Eala from the Philippines, who currently holds the 140th spot in the WTA rankings.
Badosa was visibly overcome by emotion after her victory. With tears in her eyes, she collapsed joyfully to the court surface, highlighting the significance of the moment. The Spanish athlete has endured ongoing challenges with her back injury and is striving hard to regain peak performance levels and confidence on court.
