Djokovic’s Melbourne Quest: Chasing 25th Grand Slam Amid 1000 Weeks on Top

Arrival in Melbourne

Novak Djokovic arrived in Melbourne to compete in the Australian Open, which begins on January 18, as he pursues a 25th Grand Slam title.

Emotional moment at Rod Laver Arena

He shared a moving moment at Rod Laver Arena, the most successful venue in his career where he has lifted 10 of his 24 majors. In a touching gesture, he touched the court with his right hand and pressed it to his chest before starting his first training session in the city that saw his 2022 vaccine-related departure.

Training and expectations

Djokovic has not played an official match since he captured his 102nd title in Athens last November. He withdrew from the Adelaide warm-up tournament recently due to not feeling fully ready, choosing to focus on intensive training in Melbourne to reach peak fitness.

All eyes will be on how the crowd welcomes Djokovic, especially after last year’s edition when he was forced to withdraw from the semi-final against Alexander Zverev due to an injury, exiting amid some booing from portions of the audience.

According to Marca, the 38-year-old, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, enters the event with a remarkable record: 1000 weeks in the top 40 of the professional rankings, underscoring two decades of dominance at the summit.

Punchline 1: Djokovic’s serve is so fast it files its own speeding ticket before the ball even crosses the baseline.

Punchline 2: If he wins No. 25, the trophy might demand a raise for all the overtime it endures on the mantelpiece.