Novak Djokovic gets first win over Alejandro Tabilo to reach 225th quarterfinal of career in Athens

Novak Djokovic has made a winning start to his campaign in Athens, defeating Chile's Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets in his opening match at the ATP 250 indoor hard-court event, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

And it was a special victory for a few reasons, most notably because Tabilo had won both of the pair's two previous meetings—in straight sets, no less—in Rome last year and Monte Carlo earlier this year.

But only one player—Roger Federer—has ever won their first three career meetings against Djokovic, and he'll now remain alone in that stat.

"I'm really thrilled to get through tonight," Djokovic said in his on-court interview. "To get through against Tabilo, who I had never won against—we played two times on clay court and he won both matches—I was under more tension and stress before this match than in most matches.

"I drew energy and support from the crowd and I want to thank you."

There was little between the two players in the marathon 68-minute first set on Tuesday, with neither budging on serve—Djokovic had double break point in the very first game of the match, but Tabilo saved them both, and they would turn out to be the only break points of the first set.

But come crunch time it was all Djokovic, as he jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the tie-break, eventually taking it, 7-3, and then after trading holds in the first two games of the second set he caught fire again, reeling off five games in a row from 1-all for a runaway victory.

He finished the match with 27 winners to 21 unforced errors, with some spectacular serving that produced 13 aces to zero double faults.

It was his first career win in his new home base.

"It feels like home playing in Athens," he told the crowd. "A few months ago when I came here with my family, I was really very excited because I always loved Greece—all Serbia loves Greece for sure. We have a lot of things connecting us. So it was amazing to experience great hospitality with Greek people, which Greece is globally famous for. But more than recognition for my tennis achievements, I feel like people approach me in a most humane way. Athens is in my heart, no doubt about it."

And one more reason Tuesday's victory was special—Djokovic is now through to the milestone 225th tour-level quarterfinal of his career, just the fourth man in the Open Era to hit that incredible number.

MOST CAREER QUARTERFINALS (men, tour-level, Open Era):

• 276: Jimmy Connors
• 245: Roger Federer
• 226: Rafael Nadal
• 225: Novak Djokovic
• 217: Ivan Lendl

Of course, in terms of the biggest quarterfinals, Djokovic is unmatched—he's been to an all-time record 64 career Grand Slam quarterfinals (Federer, Nadal and Connors have the next-most with 58, 47 and 41).

Up next for the No. 1-seeded Djokovic in the quarterfinals will be either No. 6-seeded Nuno Borges or American qualifier Eliot Spizzirri.