“I’m hungry, I still want to race, I feel like I can run for hours.” Statement from Novak Djokovic. The ten-time Australian Open winner announced to the sailors before returning to Rod Laver Arena headquarters to begin defending his title in an environment where he has never lost a final and has won 28 in a row.
#1 debut It will take place on January 14 at 21:00 local time (9:00 in Spain, Eurosport). The gates of Melbourne Park will open on a Sunday for the first time in the tournament’s history to kick off an exciting 2024 season. Djokovic In Melbourne he will seek his eleventh title, his 25th Grand Slam, and continue his overwhelming dominance in 2023, with only Carlos Alcaraz as his direct rival. A year in which Rafael Nadal will likely appear in his final Australian ball but suffer a muscle injury on his return to the track in Brisbane will prevent him from being the other big attraction of the 112th edition of the tournament.
In the corridor leading to the Australian Grand Slam headquarters, Djokovic You’ll be able to appreciate the passage of time by seeing 10 photographs of all the champions since 1905 hanging next to it. The first time, after beating the Frenchman in 2008. Jo-Wilfred TsongaUntil last year’s final victory over Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic, who did not take part in the 2022 edition, refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and was expelled from the country, last lost a match in Melbourne in 2018, when he was eliminated in the last 16 rounds by the Korean National Team. Hyeon Chung.
Rival of the previous one
“I love playing here, where I achieved the best success of my career at the Grand Slam level,” he said. Djokovic Before defending his title against the Croatian tennis player Dino PrismicAt 18 years old, the world number 155 will be playing his first Grand Slam match.
DjokovicHaving debuted in Australia in 2005, before Prizmic was even born, it feels strong, approaching 37 years old, keeping its finger on the pulse of new generations and full of very clear challenges. “My goals are the Grand Slam and the Olympic Games. After that? “I really don’t know,” he said a few days ago.
alcaraz The Australian Open champion still doesn’t have any photos hanging in his hallway, but he also very clear challenges In a season marked by Grand Slams, especially Roland Garros and the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, it is his biggest dream. The 20-year-old Murcian tennis player once again became Djokovic’s first opponent to overthrow him at No. 1 (he had been there for 407 weeks) and take away the Melbourne crown, as he did at Wimbledon last year.
fight for number 1
Australia is currently not the best scenario for the tennis player from El Palmar (Murcia), who debuted in 2021 and has won only three of five matches so far. This doesn’t compare to the rest of his results at the Grand Slams (2022 US Open champion, 2023 Wimbledon and 2023 Roland Garros semifinalist).
What should be the pulse between the first war of the year? alcaraz And Djokovic Number 1 will be in play again. There is a 2,200 point difference between them in the rankings, but the Murcian can overtake the Serbian if he reaches the quarter or semi-finals of the tournament. Djokovic cannot access these tours; if he plays in the final and his opponent is not Serbian or if he wins the championship.
alcarazThe player, who has not yet played an official match this year, will play his first match against the experienced Richard Gasquet on Tuesday and a difficult road awaits him until a possible final with rivals such as Bete Noire. Tommy Paul (at eight), German Alexander Zverev (quarter-finals), the reigning champion of the Unified Cup or Russian Daniil Medvedev (semi-finals), who played in two finals in Melbourne (2021 and 2022) and defeated him in the last US Open.
Bets with Serbians
DjokovicThe more played team in the United Cup faces a theoretically less difficult draw, its toughest opponent being Jannik Sinner (ranked fourth in the world), whom it would face in a hypothetical semi-final. The Italian beat him twice at the end of last season (Masters group stage and Davis Cup final). Djokovic Destroyed him in the masters final in Turin (6-3, 6-3)
Djokovic is the favorite in betting. His victory costs 2 euros, Alcaraz’s fee is 3.75 euros, Sinner’s victory is 6.75 euros, Medvedev’s fee is 8 euros. Much further away are Tsitsipas and Zverev (21 euros) or Rune, Fritz and Shelton (26 euros).
Nadal’s defeat
late absence Nadal’s It broke the most anticipated bet for the start of this season in Australia. The 2022 champion Balearic tennis player has stopped playing in Melbourne after suffering a micro-muscle tear in Brisbane, but is also aware that he does not feel strong enough to face the Grand Slam after almost a year away from the courts. “I am not ready to compete at the highest level of demand in five-set matches,” he emphasized. announce resignation.
Nadal focused on his priority His aim is to reach Roland Garros and the Paris Olympic Games, which will be played in his second home, where he won 14 titles, in his best form.
war of queens
In the women’s team, there is also a two-way struggle between the current champion Belarusian player. Aryna Sabalenka and number 1 and polished Iga SwiatekIn a tournament that is always open to surprises and where the Americans aim to break the predictions Coco Gaufflast US Open or Kazakh champion Elena RybakinaOther hopefuls include the 2022 Wimbledon champion and the 2023 finalist in Australia.
List not included on exit Paula Badosa, He is playing a Grand Slam again after retiring from the last Wimbledon due to a back injury that kept him out of action for six months. The Catalan tennis player, currently ranked 74th in the world, returned to compete in Adelaide last week and lost to American Bernarda Pera in her first match. The American awaits in Melbourne in the first round Taylor Townsend (80th world).