TENNIS: Record seeker Djokovic faces 'New Two' roadblock at Australian Open

SYDNEY – Novak Djokovic returns to Melbourne Park aiming to halt the rise of the so-called “Sincaraz” era and capture an Australian Open title that would cement him as the most successful Grand Slam champion in history.

The Serbian superstar won his 24th major at the U.S. Open in late 2023, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have since dominated the Grand Slams with a high-speed style of play that has overwhelmed their rivals.

Djokovic, who will turn 39 in May, is not immune to the physical demands of two decades on the professional tour. Yet, few would ever count out one of the mentally toughest players the game has ever seen.

To surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles on home soil, Djokovic will likely need to defeat one—or both—of the “New Two” in the later rounds of the tournament.

Last year, the last remaining member of the “Big Three” defeated Alcaraz in the quarterfinals but retired from his semifinal clash with Alex Zverev due to a hamstring tear. In 2025, he reached the semifinals of all four majors, falling to Sinner in Paris and Wimbledon, and to Alcaraz in New York.

“I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they're just too good, playing on a really high level,” Djokovic said after his Flushing Meadows loss. “Best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me to play them, particularly if it’s the later stages of a Grand Slam.”

“Abundance of Caution”

Djokovic withdrew from the warm-up event in Adelaide in January, but Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley quickly reassured fans that the 38-year-old will compete in Melbourne.

“He’ll be here to play 100%,” Tiley said over the weekend. “Out of an abundance of caution, he just wanted to make sure he’s fully ready. He’s won this event 10 times. He wants to go for that record, and this is the place where he has the best chance of doing it.”

Tiley added that it is highly unlikely this will be Djokovic’s final Australian Open, aligning with the player’s own goal of defending his Olympic title in Los Angeles in 2028.

Djokovic’s aging body could have other plans, however, and his chances of a deep run will largely depend on his fitness during the tournament’s second week.

Last year, he claimed ATP titles in Geneva and Athens to bring his career total to 101, though his best results at the longer Masters events were a final in Miami and a semifinal in Shanghai.

This will mark Djokovic’s 21st appearance in the main draw at the Australian Open—a journey that began in 2005 when he entered as a qualifier and was defeated by eventual champion Marat Safin.

Melbourne’s large Serbian community ensures Djokovic will have strong local support, though he has often been more admired than loved. Still, his legacy at the tournament is undeniable. His 10 Australian Open titles came during the “Big Three” era, when Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were also at their peak.

-Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters