Novak Djokovic to launch 25th Grand Slam campaign in Brisbane

Novak Djokovic has never been one to mark an insignificant year on the ATP Tour in his illustrious career. However, the 2024 run proved rather meek for the 24-time Grand Slam champion. This year marked the first time since 2017 that Djokovic concluded a season without a single Grand Slam title. Despite the lack of Grand Slam victories, 2024 will still be etched as a remarkable point in Djokovic’s career. The 37-year-old Serbian finally ended his long wait for an Olympic gold medal. The ‘Big 3’ star fought past the rising sensation Carlos Alcaraz to claim the ultimate victory in Paris, completing the Golden Slam. Now, with Djokovic having achieved every major milestone in the sport, he will begin his quest for another Grand Slam at the Brisbane International.

Novak Djokovic to kick off the next season at Brisbane International

The past season was a mixed bag for Novak Djokovic on the ATP Tour. The Serbian endured a Grand Slam drought, ending a six-year streak of winning at least one of the big four ATP titles. The season began with a quarter-final defeat against Australia’s Alex de Minaur at the United Cup. Djokovic was unable to open his title account early as he fell to Jannik Sinner in the semi-final of the Australian Open. The 23-year-old Italian went on to claim his maiden Grand Slam by defeating Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne.

Throughout the season, Djokovic struggled against the top two players of the year, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz denied Djokovic the Wimbledon title, defeating the Serbian 6-2, 6-2, 7-6. However, Novak Djokovic avenged the loss by triumphing over the 21-year-old Spaniard in the men’s singles final at the Paris Olympics. The remainder of the ATP season saw Djokovic missing out on the ATP Masters title in Shanghai, where Sinner emerged victorious. The Italian maintained a perfect record against Djokovic, even defeating him in the semi-final of the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Riyadh.

After the conclusion of the Grand Slam tournaments, Djokovic decided to end his ATP season early. He withdrew from the Paris Masters and subsequently the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. The 2024 season turned into a showcase for Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the young guns dominated, splitting the Grand Slam titles between them. Sinner claimed the US Open crown after his Australian Open triumph, while Alcaraz secured victories at Wimbledon and Roland Garros. Although Alcaraz took a step back towards the end of the season, Sinner remained relentless, making 2024 his career-best run. The Italian won the Nitto ATP Finals, joining Djokovic and Federer as the only players to win the US Open, Australian Open, and ATP Finals in the same year. Despite being embroiled in a doping violation case, Jannik Sinner finished the season as the World No.1 on the ATP rankings.

With ample rest after ending his season before the Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic is set to begin the new season at the Brisbane International. The Serbian plans to head to Australia early in preparation for the Grand Slam in Melbourne. Djokovic has claimed an unmatched 10 championships in Melbourne, and a triumph this January would earn him a record-breaking 11th Grand Slam singles title, surpassing the 24 he currently shares with Australian legend Margaret Court.

The Brisbane International, scheduled from December 29 to January 5, will serve as the final warm-up event before the Australian Open begins on January 12. A victory in Brisbane would make Djokovic the third man in the Open Era to secure 100 career titles, joining the elite company of Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).

“I’m thrilled to start my Australian swing in Brisbane and compete in front of the incredible Australian fans,” Djokovic said. “I want to make this tournament one to remember.”

The Brisbane event will also be the first instance of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray appearing on the court in their new roles as player and coach. Previously, Djokovic expressed his confidence in competing against the rising stars of the sport. The 37-year-old emphasized that as long as his fitness holds, he can continue to challenge players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

“I still feel I can play at the highest level,” Djokovic remarked. “Sinner, Alcaraz, and Zverev have all established themselves as top contenders, but I believe my experience gives me a strong chance to challenge them,” Djokovic concluded.