Australian Open 2024: Nick Kyrgios reacts to Novak Djokovic’s thrilling win over Dino Prizmic – ‘Pure entertainment’

Few gave the 18-year-old qualifier a chance against the 10-time champion in Melbourne, but he threatened to pull off an upset when he moved a break clear in the third set before Djokovic, as he so often does, found a way to turn the tide in his favour.

Reacting immediately as the Serbian got over the line, Eurosport pundit Kyrgios said: “That was four hours of pure entertainment but Novak, the world No. 1, that was too much experience, too much composure in some clutch moments but a round of applause for the youngster, what a moment.”

There was nothing to suggest Djokovic would be given such a stern test as he serenely secured the first set, but after some on-court treatment, his opponent hit back to take the second in a tie-break.

The Croatian kept the pressure on in the third and moved a break ahead at 3-2 before Djokovic restored parity and then moved within a set of victory.

That appeared to end Prizmic’s resistance as he fell 4-0 down in the fourth, but he recovered one of the breaks and made the 24-time Grand Slam champion earn his passage into round two after four hours on court.

While it ultimately ended in defeat, both Kyrgios and Tim Henman were impressed with how comfortable Prizmic looked on one of the sport’s biggest stages, with the Australian drawing parallels with Holger Rune.

“Novak came out solid as a rock and I thought, ‘Oh no this one is going to go pretty fast’,” Kyrgios continued. “Then he went to a level that not many people can go to. Novak asked a question and he raised his level.

“Then he had a couple of opportunities he didn’t take in the third then Novak had a stranglehold in the fourth.

“As soon as I saw him strutting his thing, he reminded me of that Holger Rune style energy. That’s the longest match in the first round of a slam in Novak’s career, that’s pretty crazy for an 18-year-old.

“I like him, he’s one of my favourite players after that performance. I’d give him some serious energy!”

Henman added: “What’s so impressive – yes, he got those wins in qualifying on outside courts but to come onto Rod Laver Arena, against a 10-time champion and No. 1 seed, to come out and show that physical maturity and no panic.

“Yes, he lost the first set, but as Nick said, you started to think can the upset happen.”