Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in motion throughout observe forward of the Australian Open
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Novak Djokovic will launch his bid for Grand Slam history on the Australian Open against an 18-year-old qualifier after Jannik Sinner got here by a testing opener in fashion.
Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka begins her personal title defence in sunny Melbourne, whereas males’s fifth seed Andrey Rublev can be in motion.
World primary Djokovic is gunning for his eleventh Australian Open title and twenty fifth main, which might take him away from Margaret Court on the all-time record.
The Serbian, with 24 Grand Slams, is already the most-decorated participant within the males’s sport — two away from the injured Rafael Nadal and 4 forward of the retired Roger Federer.
Djokovic got here inside a whisker of finishing a calendar Grand Slam final 12 months, successful three majors and dropping an exhilarating Wimbledon ultimate to Carlos Alcaraz.
The 36-year-old, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in final 12 months’s title match in Melbourne, is the recent favorite once more and will likely be fancied to breeze by his opener against Dino Prizmic.
The age hole of 18 years and 75 days between the 2 is the best in an Australian Open males’s match since Ken Rosewall downed qualifier Cary Stansbury in 1978.
“I’m just hoping I can start the season in a way that I have been starting my seasons, most of my seasons, throughout my career, with a win here in Australia, in Melbourne,” stated Djokovic.
“It’s my favourite place, no doubt — the court where I’ve done great things and achieved my greatest Grand Slam results.”
Sinner, who opted to not play any warm-up tournaments, overcame Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 within the opening match on Rod Laver Arena.
The Italian fourth seed, one in every of a brand new era of younger weapons looking for to dethrone mighty Djokovic, didn’t have all of it his personal approach against his Dutch opponent however raised his stage in the important thing moments.
“Physically I feel good in good shape, the first round is never easy so I can be happy with today,” he stated.
Krejcikova survives
It was more durable for former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, who survived a scare to beat Japanese wildcard Mai Hontama 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The Czech ninth seed, who triumphed at Roland Garros in 2021, dug deep when trailing 3-1 within the second set after dropping the opener and finally turned the tables.
Belarusian star Sabalenka, scheduled on court docket within the night session, loved a breakthrough 2023 by which she gained in Melbourne, completed runner-up on the US Open and made the semi-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
In doing so, she grew to become the primary lady since Serena Williams in 2016 to succeed in not less than the semi-finals of all 4 Grand Slams in a calendar 12 months.
Currently ranked quantity two behind Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the 25-year-old, who faces unseeded German Ella Seidel, stated she was in fine condition mentally and bodily.
Former champion Caroline Wozniacki, granted a wildcard to compete, returns to the scene of her best triumph 4 years after her final look at Melbourne Park.
The 2018 Australian Open winner has joined a gaggle of tennis mums juggling on-court commitments with the duties of motherhood, together with Elina Svitolina, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka.
The 33-year-old, who performs Poland’s Twentieth-seed Magda Linette, nonetheless believes she will be able to combine it with the very best regardless of her lengthy absence from the tour.
