Novak Djokovic cruised past Rinky Hijikata in the opening round of the Brisbane International in Australia. This victory marked his first ATP win of the season. His focus now shifts to his next opponent, Gael Monfils.

The Serbian star holds a dominant 19-0 head-to-head record against Gael Monfils, with their first match dating back to the 2005 US Open. Djokovic mentioned having a lighthearted moment in the locker room with the 2008 Roland Garros semifinalist about their one-sided record.

Their most recent encounter was at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, where Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2. Their last match in Australia took place during the 2020 ATP Cup in Auckland, where the Serb secured another straightforward victory with a similar scoreline.

Novak Djokovic began his Brisbane International journey by sharing a heartfelt New Year’s Eve message with the crowd. The Serbian star expressed his excitement to start 2025 on a positive note.

On Tuesday evening, Djokovic played his first singles match since October. He defeated Australia’s Rinky Hijikata with a dominant 6-3, 6-3 win. The match, which lasted just 75 minutes, showcased Djokovic’s clean baseline play and accurate serving. This victory followed his doubles success with Nick Kyrgios on Monday (December 30).

Djokovic has another goal in mind this week. A win in Brisbane would make him the third player to achieve 100 tour-level titles, joining Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) in this elite group.