Djokovic, Federer and Serena are tipped to win opening Grand Slam
Dominant Serbian world No 1 and his long-time Swiss opponent have won eight of the nine titles at the Rod Laver Arena since 2010
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer loom over Melbourne Park for the year’s opening Grand Slam as favourites for the Australian Open as questions remain about whether one of Generation Next could finally end their stranglehold. The Serbian world No 1 and his Swiss opponent have won eight of the nine titles at the Rod Laver Arena since 2010 and 11 of the last 13 on the courts in central Melbourne. Both have six titles each, and are seeking to break a three-way tie for the most victories with Australia’s Roy Emerson. While Federer has won the tournament for the past two years — with the 2017 victory at the age of 35 a surprising return after knee surgery in 2016 — Djokovic’s history in Australia and rediscovery of his form midway through 2018 means the world No 1 will be the man to beat. The 31-year-old went into a bewildering slump in mid-2016 that only ended when he won Wimbledon in 2018 before he went on to claim his third US Open crown and move to 14 Grand Slam titles, three behind R...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.