Novak Djokovic Set to Commence 25th Grand Slam Pursuit in Brisbane

Novak Djokovic is scheduled to compete at the Brisbane International ahead of his attempt to secure a 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in Melbourne this January. The 37-year-old, who has claimed victory in Melbourne 10 times, holds a shared record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles with Australia’s Margaret Court. The Serb, currently ranked seventh globally, did not manage to increase his Grand Slam count throughout a challenging 2024 season. The Brisbane tournament, scheduled from 29 December to 5 January, serves as a key preparatory competition leading up to the Australian Open, which commences on 12 January. Djokovic stated, “I’m excited to be kicking off my Australian swing at the Brisbane International and to compete again at Pat Rafter Arena.” He added, “I am looking forward to experiencing the incredible support from the Australian fans and making this tournament one to remember.” Concurrently, British player Emma Raducanu is set to commence her season at the Auckland Classic, running from 30 December to 5 January. Raducanu’s inclusion on the entry list places her alongside four-time major champion Naomi Osaka and local favourite Lulu Sun, who advanced to the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a qualifier in July. Possessing 99 ATP titles, Djokovic is striving to become only the third male player in the Open era to achieve 100 career titles, a feat previously accomplished by American Jimmy Connors (109) and Swiss Roger Federer (103). The competitor lineup in Brisbane includes Nick Kyrgios, reigning champion Grigor Dimitrov, and Holger Rune. Last month, Djokovic named Andy Murray as his coach for the Australian Open. Murray, the former British number one, was defeated by Djokovic in the Australian Open final four times. While a precise start date for Murray’s coaching position remains unconfirmed, BBC Sport has been informed that the Scot does not presently intend to be in Brisbane with Djokovic. Earlier this year, Djokovic advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where he was defeated by the eventual champion, Jannik Sinner.