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The 38-year-old Serbian star is clearly settling into Australian Open mode, taking the court Thursday in Melbourne for an exhibition match against Frances Tiafoe. Novak Djokovic walked away with a 6-3, 6-4 win in one hour and 22 minutes. Even then, Tiafoe stole the spotlight.
The two were clearly enjoying themselves, sharing laughs throughout the match, but one exchange stood out in particular.
As Novak Djokovic got ready to serve, a baby’s cries echoed around the stadium. Djokovic tried to stay locked in, but the crying continued, and Tiafoe, smiling and playing to the moment, joked, “I know,” as if he felt like crying too, given how the match was going.
Djokovic cracked up, and the crowd followed.
Once play settled, both men served cleanly through the opening games, racing through the first five in just 14 minutes. Djokovic made his move at 3-2, stepping in on the return and forcing an error to grab the break. He backed it up with a hold for 5-2, then closed out the set despite facing a break point, sealing it after a loose backhand from Tiafoe and a forced error on set point to wrap up the opener in 31 minutes.
Frances Tiafoe agreeing with the crying baby in the crowd 
pic.twitter.com/Cwk2GYEunm
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) January 15, 2026
The second set started with both players holding serve comfortably, but things shifted at 2-2 when Tiafoe dumped a backhand into the net and handed Djokovic the break.
Novak then hit a double fault in the next game and suddenly found himself in trouble.
Djokovic faced six break points and finally cracked on the last one, missing a forehand to give the break straight back and level the set at 3-3. Tiafoe rode that momentum, landing a big serve in the following game to move ahead 4-3.
The Serb responded right away, firing an ace to hold at love and make it 4-4. In the next game, Tiafoe blinked, throwing in a double fault and facing a break point. Novak Djokovic took full advantage, finishing the point with a slick volley winner to go in front.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Djokovic stayed calm and closed it out with a comfortable hold at 15.
The win felt even more rewarding as Djokovic’s physical condition hadn’t been great before facing the 27-year-old, who is now set to play Jason Kubler before his first-round match at the Australian Open.
Why Novak Djokovic can’t afford to be careless right now
Novak Djokovic raised a few eyebrows this week after a scheduled practice session with Daniil Medvedev on Rod Laver Arena was cut very short.
The two were set to hit at 5 p.m., but neither seemed close to full intensity, and the session lasted just 12 minutes. Djokovic struggled with his serve, then spent several minutes getting treatment on his neck from his physio, Miljan Amanovic, before the practice was called off.
A day later, Djokovic looked physically fine, which gave fans some hope ahead of his first-round match against Pedro Martinez in the Australian Open.
Still, the sudden end to that workout has sparked concern about his condition just four days before the first Grand Slam of 2026 begins in Melbourne. So can he deliver against his young opponent?
Martinez, now 28, has become a steady presence on the ATP circuit and has often impressed while representing Spain in the Davis Cup. The two have never played each other, but as a former top-40 player, Martinez figures to be a tricky first test.
The Spaniard is currently ranked No. 71 after posting a 16-27 record in 2025. He hasn’t yet played an ATP Tour-level match in 2026, though he did make a run to the final of the Bengaluru Challenger in India.
As for Novak Djokovic, he hasn’t lifted a Grand Slam trophy since the 2023 US Open, and questions continue to swirl about how deep he can go this year. He also hasn’t reached another major final since then. Do you think Novak Djokovic will be able to win this time?
The post Frances Tiafoe Steals the Spotlight After Baby Cries in Fun Match Against Novak Djokovic appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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