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Novak Djokovic tries out a different tool during a promotion at Melbourne Park.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic's attempt to win a record 11th Australian Open title could include a third-round match against Andy Murray and a quarterfinal against last year's runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Top-ranked Australian Alex de Minaur must reach the semi-finals to have any hope of stopping Djokovic from becoming the most prolific Grand Slam singles winner in tennis after finishing on the other side of the draw on Thursday.
But at least one home hope may have a chance to change the course of sports history when the tournament begins a day earlier than usual on Sunday.
Alexei Popyrin and wildcard Marc Polmans will be sent into an all-Australian first-round duel, with the winner taking on Djokovic unless the super Serb suffers a shock defeat to a qualifier in his opening game.
Djokovic lost his first singles match in Australia since 2018, succumbing to a wrist injury and a delighted de Minaur in the United Cup last week.
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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic ends the year in style by winning the ATP Finals title for the seventh time.
Since then, the 36-year-old has appeared strong and uninhibited in several training sessions in the Rod Laver Arena.
But the top seed will likely face several more challenges if he wants to eclipse Margaret Court's record of 24 singles majors.
Five-time Open runner-up Murray could pose a hurdle in the last 32, while fellow veteran and three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka – who defeated Djokovic in the French and US Open finals – is a potential fourth-round obstacle represents.
In the rankings, Djokovic's quarter-final opponent is seventh seed Tsitsipas, who enters the A$86.5 million tournament in some difficulty after a back injury hampered his United Cup campaign.
Adding to the Greek star's problems is a first-round shootout with former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, in which the unseeded Italian is making his comeback after a serious ankle injury.
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Djokovic is interviewed by Nick Kyrgios for Hana Kuma during a charity match.
Djokovic could meet dangerous Italian fourth seed Jannik Sinner, who defeated the Serb twice in two weeks in November, in the semi-finals.
But if the tournament's top two seeds live up to their expectations, Djokovic will renew his exciting rivalry with Spanish young talent Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
Alcaraz, who denied Djokovic a calendar-year Grand Slam victory last year with an epic Wimbledon final triumph in five sets, opens his title race against French veteran Richard Gasquet.
He could face sixth seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals and faces two-time Open finalist and world number three Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals.
To prepare for his chance at another title, Djokovic knocked down Steve Smith, ran over Peter Bol and flirted with reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in a night of fun and frivolity at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
He also swung hoops to show off his basketball skills, chatted comfortably with Nick Kyrgios and took charge from the referee's chair at Rod Laver Arena.
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Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic during a charity match in Melbourne on Thursday.
But the ten-time Open champion finally confirmed himself as the undisputed king of Melbourne Park on “A Night with Novak and Friends”.
After defeating Tsitsipas in an exhibition set – a “rematch” of last year's Open final – Djokovic stunned the sellout crowd at the charity event and even showed off his wheelchair wizardry to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Australian Open Foundation.
“I honestly have to pinch myself, after so many years in professional tennis, returning to the Rod Laver Arena is always very special,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion ahead of his bid to surpass Australian legend Margaret Court most prolific major winner in singles.
“I don’t take these evenings for granted…It’s a very special evening.”
Particularly special, apparently for Sabalenka, who claimed: “OMG, I have the best view here” while serving with her partner Djokovic in a mixed doubles hit-and-giggle with Tsitsipas and his Greek compatriot Maria Sakkari.
“Concentrate, Novak, concentrate,” Djokovic said as Sabalenka mimicked her butt-wiggling teammate as he tried to serve.
Cricket star Smith and Australian athletics Olympic star Bol also took part in the campaign.
But no one could dethrone the king of Melbourne Park.
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