Jan 08, 2025 10:30 AM IST
Novak Djokovic is about to compete on the Australian Open for the twentieth time in his profession. Here’s what’s at stake at his most profitable grand slam.
Even at 37 years of age, and having gained every thing there may be to be gained in singles tennis together with his achievement of Olympic Gold in Paris in 2024, Novak Djokovic continues to have that overarching need to win that’s current in each elite athlete. After a 12 months through which he noticed younger upstairs Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner cut up the 4 grand slam titles, marking the Serb’s first major-less 12 months since 2017, Djokovic has a chance to place issues proper and get off to a powerful begin in 2025 at his favorite grand slam occasion — the Australian Open.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic hits a return throughout a coaching session forward of the Australian Open tennis match in Melbourne.(AFP)
Djokovic is a 10-time champion in Melbourne, falling to Sinner within the semifinal spherical in 2024 on the Italian’s path to his first grand slam title. Nevertheless, with a brand new member in his group within the recently-retired Andy Murray, Djokovic has signalled his intentions. Murray supplies a tactical and psychological edge to Djokovic’s group that no person else on the ATP tour can hope to match with their coaches, and provides him that further raise that might assist defeat Alcaraz and Sinner, 15+ years the Serb’s junior.
Djokovic is ready the place he’s prioritising enjoying slam tennis, which means his lack of involvement has seen him slip to quantity seven on the earth. He’ll face a harder attract Melbourne than normal, however there may be a lot at stake as he seems so as to add an eleventh AO title and record-extending twenty fifth grand Slam singles title general. Here’s a fast take a look at the information Djokovic may break in Australia this month.
A twenty fifth singles grand slam would take Djokovic previous Margaret Courtroom in her own residence nation. Djokovic already stands alone by way of Open Eta grand slam wins forward of Serena Williams (23).
Djokovic is at the moment on 99 males’s singles titles on the ATP tour. A win on the AO would mark his one hundredth, and make him solely the third man to take action after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (102).
Federer and Djokovic are at the moment tied on the variety of singles titles gained on onerous courts, with 71 every. A win for Djokovic would place him in sole possession of that title.
If he makes the ultimate of this match, Djokovic would change into the second man to have 100 match wins on the Australian Open, following within the footsteps of Federer.
Djokovic at the moment has 184 match wins in grand slam singles tennis. The present file belongs to Roger Federer with 191 — a title on the AO may assist Djokovic come stage with Federer, and set him on his technique to breaching that 200 mark later this 12 months.
The Australian Open begins subsequent week on January 13. Djokovic’s preparations on the Brisbane Worldwide did not go to plan as he was crushed by big-serving American Reilly Opelka, however the nice champion all the time appears to peak in time for grand slam tennis.
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