Novak Djokovic's Australian Open 2R opponent makes his feelings known about facing 'the GOAT'

Novak Djokovic's second-round opponent at the 2025 Australian Open made his feelings known about facing 'the GOAT.' The Serb will go up against Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria.

Faria earned his spot in the main draw of the Melbourne Major by defeating Gijs Brouwer, Dane Sweeny, and Mark Lajal in the qualifying rounds. He then went on to beat Pavel Kotov 6-1, 6-1, 7-5 in the first round to secure his place in the second round where he will face the 10-time Australian Open champion.

Following his victory over Kotov, Jaime Faria spoke to the media about his upcoming match against Djokovic. He acknowledged that it will be a challenging encounter, a "tough match" against the GOAT and that playing against him will be an "unique experience."

Faria also expressed his intention to approach the match against the 24-time Grand Slam champion with a calm mindset.

“I expect a tough match, of course. Playing against the Greatest of all Time (G.O.A.T) will be a unique experience. In the best conditions for him. It will be 'fun'. I have to enjoy it but also go in with a cool head, knowing that I have my chances and I will give my best. Now I have to work, recover and then prepare the match to see what I have to do,” Faria said [translated from Portuguese].

The 21-year-old reflected on his match against Pavel Kotov, describing it as "great." He also stated that he was happy that he was able to overcome the pressure and win the match.

“I had a great match. I am very happy with the way I was able to react, even when I was more pressured in the third set. I always managed to keep my opponent on a short leash. I served well, responded well and managed to keep my opponent on a short leash throughout the match. I am increasingly confident,” he added.

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A look into Novak Djokovic & Jaime Faria's head-to-head record ahead of their Australian Open 2025 2R match

Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open [Image Source: Getty Images]

Novak Djokovic and Jaime Faria will face off in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open which will mark their first meeting on the ATP Tour. The winner of this match will advance to compete against either 26th seed Tomas Machac or Reilly Opelka in the third round.

Djokovic kicked off his 2025 season with a decent showing at the Brisbane International, reaching the quarterfinals. He defeated Rinky Hijikata and Gael Monfils in the first two rounds before falling to Reilly Opelka.

Heading into the Australian Open, the Serb will be aiming to win his 11th Melbourne Major title and his 25th Grand Slam overall. He has been seeded seventh in the tournament and began his campaign by defeating wild card Nishesh Basavareddy 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round to set up his match against Faria in the second.