Once again, Novak Djokovic is the overwhelming favorite at the Australian Open as he attempts to win an unprecedented 25 Grand Slam titles; yet, a wrist injury and Carlos Alcaraz's rise could end his unstoppable run.
After defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Melbourne Open final the previous year to win a record-tying tenth Melbourne crown, the 36-year-old Serbian player went on to win the US Open and French Open in 2023. However, Alcaraz, who is a different player than the one who last graced the Australian hard courts as an 18-year-old ranked outside the top 30, defeated him in a thrilling Wimbledon final.
The 20-year-old, who was sidelined by Djokovic in the previous edition of the tournament due to a hamstring injury, comes back this year as the sport's most promising young player and a two-time major champion.
Rafael Nadal, Djokovic's long-time rival, on Sunday pulled out of the Australian Open with a muscle tear in a fresh blow to the veteran's hopes of returning to the top of the sport.
The Australian Open starts on Sunday, becoming a 15-day event for the first time to help spread out the early round action and prevent some late-night finishes.