Novak Djokovic makes another push for the summit at Australian Open

MELBOURNE – It is 2025 and Novak Djokovic, despite his age, should not be written off by anybody as he prepares to show the tennis world what he is still capable of.

The blazing fire of the golden era of men’s tennis has been reduced to dying embers without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but the Serb can send one last flame shooting into the Melbourne sky at this Australian Open.

Having ticked Olympic gold off his wish list in Paris, Djokovic has the record for most Grand Slam singles titles in his sights and few would bet against him walking off Rod Laver Arena on Jan 26 with the unprecedented 25th.

Yes, at 37, his body is no longer what it was, and yes, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won both of their contests last season, but the fierce drive that made Serbia’s favourite son the most successful male player of all time endures.

“My main motivation comes from love and passion for the sport, and also the desire to keep competing,” Djokovic said after losing to Sinner in the Shanghai Masters final in his last outing of 2024.

“These are kind of the matches and challenges that I still strive for, to be in a position to play against the best players in the world, on the biggest stage, in the finals of some of the biggest tournaments in the world.”

In 2024, he failed to win a Grand Slam for the first time since 2017 – his other loss to Sinner came in the Melbourne semis – but he proved he was still a sensational player on his day when he beat Carlos Alcaraz to win Olympic gold.

There could be no place more appropriate for Djokovic to finally break free of his tie with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles than in her own backyard at Melbourne Park, where he has won 10 times.

Some quibble at the standard of some of the 11 Australian Opens that Court won, and others despise the 82-year-old for her politics, but a Grand Slam record is a Grand Slam record and Court shares it.

Djokovic, like Court, won his first Slam at the Australian Open and he can end the debate definitively on his 20th visit to Melbourne as a professional.

Aside from the reliable band of supporters from the local Serbian community, the veteran has rarely been the most popular player at Melbourne Park but he has always been among the best.

From the dead-eyed competitor of his youth, through the self-styled “Djoker” of his 20s, to today’s grand statesman of the game, Djokovic has played some incredible tennis on the famous blue courts.

His trip Down Under was famously cut short by deportation from Australia during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2022, an incident which he admitted still triggered some nerves when he touched down at the airport in the country.

In 2025, he arrived in Australia accompanied for the first time by his family and they were on hand as he was beaten in two sets by inspired American Reilly Opelka in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.

Warmup tournament results have never been a reliable predictor of how Djokovic would perform at the main event, however.

His contemporary Andy Murray, who lost four Australian Open finals to Djokovic, signed up to his coaching team in the off-season, and John McEnroe reckons the Scot will give Djokovic a shove should he need it as he approaches the summit.

“I think Murray will bring something to the table,” the American great said of the unlikely appointment. “Just his mere presence and Novak has a lot of respect for him, so he will be able to push him when he needs to.”

Ultimately, Djokovic still has plenty of fight left in him and he is raring to go when the Australian Open starts on Jan 12.

“I’m ready to compete, whatever it takes, however many hours it takes with the youngsters,” he added. REUTERS, AFP