Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Top Women’s Seeds Set for Action at Australian Open

Posted : 13 January 2025

Novak Djokovic starts his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and 11th Australian Open victory on Monday at the Australian Open, facing American Nishesh Basavareddy in a prime-time match on Rod Laver Arena. Despite little knowledge of his opponent, Djokovic, now coached by former rival Andy Murray, remains confident that Basavareddy will bring his best game.

Djokovic’s match marks the beginning of a blockbuster day for men’s tennis, with rising star Carlos Alcaraz also beginning his campaign on Day 2, hoping to claim the one major title that has eluded him so far.

Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner begins his defence of last year’s title with a challenging first-round match against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry. Sinner enters the tournament amidst a cloud of controversy due to a doping scandal, which saw him test positive for traces of a banned steroid, clostebol, last March.

Though he was exonerated by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, his case is still under appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency and will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in April. The young Italian will look to silence critics with a strong performance in his title defence.

In women’s singles, top players like Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka take to the courts to begin their Australian Open campaigns. Swiatek, seeded second, faces Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova in a match that has her as the heavy favourite, despite being moved to John Cain Arena for the encounter.

Gauff, ranked third, starts her tournament on Rod Laver Arena against 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, while Osaka, a two-time champion at Melbourne Park, will face Caroline Garcia in a rematch of last year’s first-round clash. After a challenging year, Osaka is looking to make a strong comeback following a recent injury.

Local tennis fans will also have the chance to see Nick Kyrgios, making his return to tennis after 18 months out due to knee surgery and wrist reconstruction. The Australian star is set to face Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in an evening match on his preferred John Cain Arena, where he promises to bring excitement to his first Grand Slam match since his absence.

Kyrgios, known for his polarizing personality, expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the sport, stating that tennis had become a bit too predictable during his time away.

Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Top Women’s Seeds Set for Action at Australian Open

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