His majesty returns to the kingdom

Melbourne, January 13

The injury update from Novak Djokovic was all good on the eve of his Australian Open title defence.

Djokovic hurt his wrist playing for Serbia in the United Cup last week and needed treatment twice during a quarterfinals loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

“My wrist is good. I had time from the last match against de Minaur to my first match here to recover,” he said. “Practice sessions pain-free so far. It’s good. It’s all looking good.”

Djokovic has made it a habit to start the year with a title in Australia. He’s on a 28-match winning streak at Melbourne Park, where he has won an unprecedented 10 men’s singles crowns. It’s a major contributor to his record 24 Grand Slam titles.

I’m just hoping I can start the season in a way that I have been starting my seasons, most of my seasons, throughout my career: with a win here in Australia, in Melbourne. My favourite place, no doubt —Novak Djokovic, 24-time grand slam winner

Both singles champions will play in the first of the night sessions: Djokovic’s opener against qualifier Dino Prizmic will be followed by Aryna Sabalenka’s first-round match against Ella Seidel.

Carlos Alcaraz is seeded No. 2, and so can only face Djokovic here if they both make the final.

Mum’s corner

One of Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff look most likely to add to their Grand Slam collection but a clutch of returning champion mums spearheaded by Naomi Osaka could make things interesting.

Last year, Victoria Azarenka and Sofia Kenin were the only former women’s champions in the draw at Melbourne Park but there will be six when the tournament kicks off on Sunday as Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki all return. The returning trio and Azarenka will be accompanied by their children as they look to match the feat achieved by Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1977 and Kim Clijsters in 2011 by winning the trophy as mothers.

The other contenders

ALEXANDER zverev

There was little optimism around Alexander Zverev at the start of last season, with the German miles off the pace when he arrived at the Australian Open after undergoing ankle surgery and suffering from a bone edema. This time around, though, the Olympics champion appears close to his best after working his way back to full fitness and making deep runs at the French and US Opens.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas began 2023 by reaching the Australian Open final but failed to build on that early-season promise, suffering a fourth-round defeat at Wimbledon and exiting the US Open in the second round after losing to a qualifier.

ELENA RYBAKINA

Wimbledon champion in 2022, Rybakina is aiming for a second Grand Slam title in Australia after coming up just short against Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Melbourne Park final. Russia-born Rybakina lifted two WTA 1000 titles at Indian Wells and Rome but the 24-year-old struggled to stay fit, retiring in Dubai, Roland Garros and Cincinnati before withdrawing from the Tokyo Open due to health reasons.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA

Vondrousova clinched her maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon to become the first unseeded player to win the women’s title and the first Czech woman since Petra Kvitova in 2014. Vondrousova also made it to the Roland Garros final as an unseeded player in 2019, where she lost to Ash Barty.

— Agencies

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