Age-defying Novak Djokovic has moved within touching distance of becoming the first person to win 400 matches at the majors with a clinical straight-sets Australian Open victory over Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.
In a grand slam career dating all the way back to 2005, Djokovic has never been beaten by a qualifier or anyone ranked outside the top 120 in the world.
With bigger fish to fry in the second week at Melbourne Park, that record was never going to change on Thursday.
The 24-time major champion was mostly in cruise control as he downed world No.141 Maestrelli 6-3 6-2 6-2 in two hours and 15 minutes for his 399th major win.
After a dominant 2023 campaign when he won three of the four majors, Djokovic has mostly had to watch on with the mere mortals of world tennis as the modern-day big two of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz divvied up the last eight grand slam titles.
Ending that two-handed hegemony and claiming a record-extending 25th major title of his own is now the driving motivation for the 38-year-old Serb.
"I always try to work with purpose and I had a longer off-season," said Djokovic.
"When I have more time, then I obviously try to look at my game and different elements that I can really improve.
"Otherwise, what's the point? What's the point of competing and coming out and not really trying to be better than you were the season before?
"That's the kind of mentality I try to nurture.
"It's allowed me to play at the highest level at this age and I'm glad that it's paying off."
Despite a successful run through qualifying and a creditable five-set win over Frenchman Terence Atmane on his grand slam debut, Maestrelli was never in Djokovic's class.
But the Italian never stopped trying, with Djokovic needing seven set points before claiming the opening stanza.
And even when the contest was as good as over, Maestrelli found a way to break the Serbian superstar's serve for the first and only time in the sixth game of the final set.
"I didn't know much about him until yesterday or a couple of days ago," said Djokovic.
"It happens more often than not these days for me.
"Nevertheless the respect is always there; I don't underestimate anyone.
"He's got a big serve and a big game and although he's still lacking experience on the big stage, he has the game to go far, to go high in the rankings."
Djokovic, who is in two-time defending AO champion Sinner's half of the draw, will play Dutchman Botic van de Zandschup who eased past Shang Juncheng from China 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-3.
