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Djokovic to Sinner: 5 men to watch at the Australian Open

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Martin Parry, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open 2024, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. Joel Carrett, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/tvpatrol/01/09/novak-djokovic.jpg"/><figcaption>Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open 2024, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. <em>Joel Carrett, EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MELBOURNE -- Novak Djokovic is targeting an 11th Australian Open title and in the absence of injured Rafael Nadal several younger players are out to stop him.</p><p>AFP Sport highlights five men to watch when the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday:</p><div><strong>Novak Djokovic </strong></div><p>He may be 36 but the 24-time Grand Slam winner is still the man to beat after another hugely successful 2023, which included overcoming Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Melbourne final.</p><p>The Serbian finished the year as world number one after winning three of the four majors, with only Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon denying him a clean sweep.</p><p>In total, Djokovic claimed seven titles to take his career haul to 98, including a record-equaling seventh ATP Tour Finals crown.</p><p>But there is concern around a right wrist injury which saw him lose to Alex de Minaur at the United Cup in Perth last week.</p><div><strong>Carlos Alcaraz </strong></div><p>The 20-year-old Spaniard&#x27;s triumph over Djokovic on the grass at Wimbledon reinforced his status as the hottest prospect in men&#x27;s tennis.</p><p>His breakthrough for a maiden Slam title at the US Open in 2022 made him the youngest champion of a men&#x27;s major since compatriot Nadal at the 2005 French Open.</p><p>He also became the youngest man to ascend to world number one.</p><p>Now ranked two, Alcaraz heads into the Australian Open as a serious contender after a year that saw him collect six titles.</p><p>The unanswered question is whether he can overcome Djokovic on the blue hard courts of Melbourne, where the Serbian has dominated for so long.</p><p>Since Wimbledon, the pair have played twice, both on hard courts. Djokovic won both times.</p><div><strong>Daniil Medvedev </strong></div><p>The 27-year-old Russian is a two-time finalist at the opening Grand Slam of the year. He was outplayed by Djokovic in 2021 before a heart-wrenching defeat by Nadal a year later.</p><p>That narrow defeat in 2022 had a profound impact on Medvedev, who struggled to recapture the same form for the rest of the year and slipped out of the world&#x27;s top 10.</p><p>But a resurgent 2023 has again thrust him into the conversation as a title favourite after winning 66 matches, more than any other player on tour last year.</p><p>The 2021 US Open champion is back up to world number three and will begin his bid for a second major title after a low-key build-up, skipping warm-up tournaments to focus on training.</p><div><strong>Jannik Sinner </strong></div><p>The 22-year-old Italian enjoyed a breakthrough 2023, winning his first Masters title, in Toronto, and making the championship match against Djokovic at the ATP Finals.</p><p>He was also instrumental in helping Italy win the Davis Cup, beating Djokovic in three sets along the way.</p><p>It led to plenty of praise and expectations that it is only a matter of time before the former champion skier wins a major.</p><p>At a career-high four in the world, Sinner also won titles in Montpellier, Vienna and Beijing last season, notching wins over Alcaraz and Medvedev.</p><div><strong>Alex de Minaur</strong> </div><p>The Australian has emerged as a threat at his home Grand Slam after a sensational start to the year, beating three top 10 players in a row at the United Cup.</p><p>They included Djokovic in straight sets, with Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz also falling victim to a player who spent the off-season improving his serve and backhand.</p><p>It has propelled the 24-year-old into the top 10, the first Australian to achieve the feat since former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in July 2006.</p><p>De Minaur&#x27;s best result in a major is the quarter-finals at the US Open in 2020 and he has never gone beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park.</p><p>But he will approach the tournament full of confidence, aiming to become the first Australian man to win his home Slam since Mark Edmondson in 1976.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

Novak Djokovic is targeting an 11th Australian Open title and in the absence of injured Rafael Nadal several younger players are out to stop him.

Djokovic to Sinner: 5 men to watch at the Australian Open

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Djokovic to Sinner: 5 men to watch at the Australian Open

Martin Parry,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jan 09, 2024 02:34 PM PHT

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Novak Djokovic

Australian Open

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