The 2025 Australian Open is set to begin on January 12 in Melbourne, with the highly anticipated draw announcement scheduled for Thursday. Tennis enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the main event, as defending champion Jannik Sinner, 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic, and world number three Carlos Alcaraz gear up for their campaigns at the iconic Rod Laver Arena.
Novak Djokovic, a Serbian tennis legend, was spotted practicing on Tuesday under the guidance of his new coach Andy Murray. This marks Murray’s first coaching endeavor following his retirement after the 2024 Paris Olympics. The former British tennis star, who boasts three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic golds, brings his wealth of experience to Djokovic’s team. Djokovic aims to achieve an unprecedented milestone by securing his 25th Grand Slam title. However, he enters the tournament following a surprising quarterfinal exit to Reilly Opelka at the Brisbane International and a challenging 2023 season, where his only major success was clinching Olympic gold in Paris. Djokovic’s pursuit of the elusive 25th Grand Slam continues after falling short at Wimbledon in 2023 in a rematch against Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz, who arrived in Melbourne on Monday, began his training sessions alongside French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, ranked 30th in the ATP rankings. The young Spanish star, sporting a fresh haircut, aims to surpass his previous Australian Open quarterfinal appearance as this remains the only major missing from his stellar career.
Jannik Sinner, the Italian player who defeated Djokovic in the semifinals last year on his way to winning his first Grand Slam title, made a victorious return to Rod Laver Arena. In a charity match on Tuesday, Sinner faced Australian Alexei Popyrin, dominating with nine break points against one. Sinner secured a comfortable 6-4 7-6 victory, signaling his readiness to defend his title.
