Djokovic is due on Rod Laver Arena soon after 2pm.
Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic is chasing his 11th Australian Open title and 25th grand slam.
He’s a household name, so who is his opponent, qualifier Jaime Faria of Portugal?
It’s been the 21-year-old’s dream to play the former world No. 1, but asked why Djokovic was his favourite, Faria told Serbian news site b92: “When I was a kid, my father worshipped Roger [Federer]so I supported Novak to spite him! My brother did too, but he favoured [Rafael] Nadal because he’s left-handed. When I grew up, I got to know Novak’s character and I really liked his way of thinking and his views, which is why I still like him the most. The way he plays and fights is really unbelievable.”
Fun fact No. 1: Faria’s art was displayed in a Lisbon gallery when he was a child. His father, Nuno, is a history of art professor and museum curator. Faria and his younger brother Vicente spent a lot of time in museums as children, and when a family friend directed an exhibition in a Lisbon gallery, he featured the young Faria brothers’ work.
Fun fact No. 2: Faria’s zig-zag hairstyle he sported for Davis Cup was a sight to behold. The cut was in honour of the Portuguese Davis Cup tradition which requires rookies to sport a haircut chosen by teammates during training week. The hair is supposed to be completely shaved if a player competes. Faria played a Davis Cup tie against Norway in September 2024 and said goodbye to the haircut.
Fun fact No. 3: Faria caught the tennis bug aged five, when his father took him and his brother to an ATP Champions Tour event in Portugal where John McEnroe was competing. Now the American legend will be commentating at the Australian Open as Faria takes the challenge to Djokovic.
“It’s great because you want to be part of the those big moments and watching and trying to imagine yourself in those moments,” Faria told the ATP Tour website. “It being you is just amazing.”
In the first round, Faria destroyed Pavel Kotov of Russia in less than two hours, 6-1, 6-1, 7-5.
Let’s see what he can do against the Djoker when the pair meet on Rod Laver Arena this afternoon.
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