Mumbai: Novak Djokovic is having a ball at Melbourne Park. He’s taking part in exhibition doubles towards coach Andy Murray, goofing round within the locker room with Carlos Alcaraz, and turning journalist for Alexander Zverev’s press convention. This 24-time Grand Slam successful reporter was granted a query. Advantageous, a follow-up too.
Novak Djokovic hits a return throughout a follow session forward of the Australian Open, in Melbourne on Saturday. (AFP)
And so, after a question about Zverev’s love and curiosity for area, Djokovic pressed additional on whether or not the reply to the German successful a Grand Slam lay in area. “I think the answer to winning a Grand Slam is you letting me win one,” the world No.2 shot again.
For a big a part of the final decade-and-a-half, that assertion, mentioned extra in jest, held true. Definitely on the Australian Open. Final yr, when Djokovic was saved at bay in Australia by Jannik Sinner and away from any Slam all yr spherical by youthful hopefuls, has nevertheless pressured a tweak.
The query now isn’t a lot about whether or not he can let the others have one; it’s about whether or not he can get one again in a territory he has dominated 10 instances over. Sinner and Alcaraz have been out to get him in 2024; he’s out to get them in 2025. The hunted has develop into the hunter.
‘Fresh’ season
And that, after years of unrelenting uniformity by the Large Three membership during which Djokovic was the final entrant, offers this new tennis season and the opening Grand Slam in Melbourne such a contemporary really feel.
In all probability as contemporary as when Djokovic, now 37, made his Slam debut precisely 20 years in the past on the 2005 Australian Open (months earlier than his new coach Murray made his). Since that first-round exit, Djokovic has developed a wealthy style for Melbourne — his “poisoning” claims however — as a document variety of titles present. No higher place than these vivid blue courts for the Serb to rise once more and show a degree.
The purpose being that when it got here to Australia and laborious courts, Djokovic carried an aura that made most gamers hand over even earlier than coming into the courtroom. That was pricked in gorgeous method by a younger Italian in final yr’s semi-final. Djokovic (Paris Olympics) and Alcaraz (French Open) did break up a giant remaining on clay final yr, however Djokovic and Sinner on laborious courts was all one-way site visitors.
Containers ticked
By all accounts in Melbourne, Djokovic seems good in his quest to redirect that. The Serb has seemingly appeared clean in follow units (he beat Alcaraz 7-5), is more energizing (he hasn’t performed since September), damage free (he needed to pull out of the French Open quarter-final final yr) and hungrier (within the firm of outdated foe turned coach).
All of these are good indicators, but whether or not it factors to Djokovic having the ability to blunt Sinner is one other query altogether. The Italian was his sharpest self all through final yr, successful 73 of his 79 matches, ending the season with no defeat in straight units (the primary to do since Roger Federer in 2005) and including a second Slam, in New York, to his first in Melbourne.
That US Open title got here amid the cloud of his doping saga, which continues to hover. The 23-year-old confirmed composure and maturity in wading by means of that to go all the way in which at Flushing Meadows. Melbourne Park will warrant an analogous mindset and distraction–dismissing skills from the world No.1.
His skills will even be examined in having the ability to again up an virtually dream-like 2024 into the truth of 2025. That’s the place the Large Three greats stood out, in repeating nice issues yr after yr. And that’s the place the younger Sinner’s problem will start over the subsequent fortnight because the Australian Open defending champion.
That problem additionally applies to Alcaraz, who took house the opposite two Slams of 2024. The season opener has not been the Spaniard’s joyful looking floor, and in that sense the 21-year-old will carry loads much less strain. The four-time main winner, although, realises he has to step up; not simply in Australia however in pushing himself additional to match the heights Sinner has scaled.
“The good thing for me is when I am seeing him (Sinner) winning titles, when I am seeing him in the top of the rankings, it forces me to practice even harder every day,” Alcaraz mentioned. “That I think is great for me, having him, having such a great rivalry so far.”
A brand new rivalry on the town, between two twenty-somethings, solely fuels the glow across the contemporary really feel heading into this yr’s opening Grand Slam.
Monfils oldest ATP winner
Provides AFP from Auckland: Gael Monfils turned the oldest singles champion in ATP Tour historical past when the Frenchman, at 38 years and 4 months, beat Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 within the remaining of the Auckland Traditional. His thirteenth tour-level title gave him a document that was held by Roger Federer (38 years, 2 months).