Australian Open: Tremendous Serb Djokovic able to rock younger champs

And so, after a question about Zverev’s love and curiosity for house, Djokovic pressed additional on whether or not the reply to the German profitable a Grand Slam lay in house. “I believe the reply to profitable 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. Actually on the Australian Open. Final yr, when Djokovic was stored at bay in Australia by Jannik Sinner and away from any Slam all yr spherical by youthful hopefuls, has nevertheless compelled 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 had been out to get him in 2024; he’s out to get them in 2025. The hunted has grow to be the hunter.

‘Recent’ 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 twenty 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 file variety of titles present. No higher place than these vibrant blue courts for the Serb to rise once more and show a degree.

The purpose being that when it got here to Australia and onerous courts, Djokovic carried an aura that made most gamers surrender even earlier than getting into the court docket. That was pricked in beautiful method by a younger Italian in final yr’s semi-final. Djokovic (Paris Olympics) and Alcaraz (French Open) did cut up an enormous last on clay final yr, however Djokovic and Sinner on onerous courts was all one-way visitors.

Bins ticked

By all accounts in Melbourne, Djokovic seems good in his quest to redirect that. The Serb has seemingly appeared easy in apply units (he beat Alcaraz 7-5), is brisker (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 previous 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, profitable 73 of his 79 matches, ending the season and not using a 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 way of that to go all the way in which at Flushing Meadows. Melbourne Park will warrant the same 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 fact 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 following 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 glad looking floor, and in that sense the 21-year-old will carry rather a lot 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 nice factor for me is when I’m seeing him (Sinner) profitable titles, when I’m seeing him within the prime of the rankings, it forces me to apply even more durable every single day,” Alcaraz mentioned. “That I believe is nice for me, having him, having such an important rivalry to date.”

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 grew to become 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 last of the Auckland Basic. His thirteenth tour-level title gave him a file that was held by Roger Federer (38 years, 2 months).