Novak Djokovic taken aback by opponent and Serb has Roger Federer in his sights

Novak Djokovic Surprised by Opponent at Hellenic Championship

Novak Djokovic competed in his new home country, Greece, on Thursday at the Hellenic Championship, an ATP 250 event held in Athens. The 38-year-old Serbian secured his place in the semi-finals, marking his 199th Tour-level semi-final appearance.

Challenging Match Against Nuno Borges

Djokovic was taken aback by the performance of Portuguese player Nuno Borges, who pushed the Serbian star to the limit. Borges applied pressure during the opening set, creating two break points while Djokovic was serving at 4-4. Despite this, Djokovic held his nerve to win the game, but ultimately lost the set in a tiebreak.

In the second set, Djokovic fought hard to overcome Borges, winning 7-6, 6-4 to advance.

“It was a very physical battle. I thought that Nuno played on a very high level.”

Djokovic’s Milestone and Connection to Greece

Djokovic is now just 13 semi-final appearances short of breaking Roger Federer’s record of 211 semi-final participations. Earlier this year, Djokovic relocated to Athens with his family, where his brother serves as the tournament director.

This event marked Djokovic’s first professional tennis match in Greece, starting with a win against Alejandro Tabilo on Tuesday, which also featured a tiebreak.

Looking Ahead

With his sights set on surpassing Federer’s record, Djokovic continues to demonstrate resilience and skill as he advances in the tournament hosted in his new home.

Author’s summary: Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge from Nuno Borges at the Hellenic Championship but prevailed, moving closer to breaking Roger Federer’s record for semi-final appearances.

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Daily Express Daily Express — 2025-11-06

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