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Forum Main>>General Talk>>News>> Opinion: Can Murray help Djokovic rekindle their love affair at the Australian Open? |
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#1 There are some memories that manage to dig their talons into the recesses of our minds. Whenever I think of Novak Djokovic, I vividly recall the day he became a Grand Slam champion for the first time. The year was 2008 and he had just beaten Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to become the new Australian Open men's singles champion. Sports journalists all over the world were in a state of frenzy. After all, tennis fans were first denied a Federer vs Nadal final and then treated to some mesmerising tennis, as a 21-year-old Djokovic came back from being a set down to becoming Serbia's first Grand Slam singles title winner. I was in a similar state of frenetic shock and awe, having witnessed each and every point of that final, while writing the match report for News Agency. Fast forward 17 years, and that wiry player who knocked out Federer in the semi-finals, denying the Swiss maestro a chance to defend his title, holds the tag of GOAT. Out of the 24 singles Slam titles that Djokovic has in his kitty, as many as 10 have been Australian Open trophies. Such was his dominance at the first Slam of the year that he won nine of the last thirteen editions at the Rod Laver Arena. At this Open, every single men's singles record that matters belongs to Djokovic—most titles, highest win percentage among active players (91.3%) and all-time total match wins (102, before the 2025 edition). To say that the Australian Open is where Djokovic feels most at home would be an understatement. Things Have ChangedBut time and chance happen to all. Things aren't the same for the man who effectively ended Federer and Nadal's domination of the Slams. In 2024, he was dealt a rude shock by eventual champion, Jannik Sinner, as he lost a semi-final at the Aussie Open for the first time in his life. Djokovic committed as many as 54 unforced errors as Sinner broke him five times. The Serb's 33-match unbeaten streak at Melbourne Park came to a screeching halt and he was denied a chance to break Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 singles Slam titles. Exactly a year later, he stands on the cusp of that record again. But things are different this time around. His aura of invincibility at the Aussie Open has diminished. A certain vulnerability has set in. He is playing fewer tournaments and aiming mainly for the Slam titles. At 37 years and eight months, he is older than any other singles Slam winner in 57 years since the Open era began (1968); his father has already spoken to him about retirement, reminding him that he has already achieved it all (including an Olympic gold medal). He is still very fit but had to undergo knee surgery last year, which for most players is a constant reminder to be just that tad bit more cautious on the court. His main rivals such as Sinner and Alcaraz are at least 15 years younger than him, and he goes into the Australian Open this time with the knowledge that he couldn't win a single Slam last year. Then, the biggest and harshest truth of them all: he is slowing down. Can He Still Power Through?However, at the end of the day, it all boils down to just how much motivation Novak Djokovic can work up in his veins. The year 2025 could well be his last competitive year on the tour. Realistically, if he is to win a 25th Slam, his best bets are the Australian Open, followed by Wimbledon. Djokovic will have to be firing on all cylinders if he is to win the title in Melbourne again. Before a potential final against Sinner, he could run into Alcaraz, who beat him in back-to-back Wimbledon finals in 2023 and 2024, in the quarters. But Djokovic did beat Alcaraz in the Olympic final. Can his mind and body come together for an encore? Every athlete is wired differently. Federer looked mostly stoic even when under pressure; Nadal couldn't get off his chair without catering to his OCD of arranging his water bottles in the exact same way every single time. Regardless of wiring, Djokovic got the message after last year that he needs to think out of the box if he wants to keep competing. While his Olympic gold in Paris was a timely reminder that he could still dig deep, he had to make changes. What Djokovic is trying to achieve is unique, and the changes have to reflect that hunger as he aims for a final flourish. Make no mistake: he will want to go out with a bang. In his own words, he is thinking “more about the 'how' than the 'when'." Murray As CoachAndy Murray, who won three Grand Slam singles titles in his career, retired from active tennis in August last year, right after his final match at the Paris Olympics. Five months later, he finds himself in Melbourne, helping Djokovic put in the hard yards as coach. Djokovic and Murray have known each other since their pre-teen years, but Murray as head coach? Really? What was the thought process behind this decision? The most likely explanation is that since Murray has recently retired, he holds invaluable knowledge about the tour's current best players, or, in other words, Djokovic's biggest roadblocks. Murray himself has faced Djokovic on the tour 36 times, losing 25 times, including in four Australian Open finals. He is well aware of the Serb's big strengths and weaknesses. I was at the Rod Laver arena in 2013 watching the men's singles final and saw first-hand Djokovic decimating Murray in four sets to win his fourth Australian Open title. Ironically, 11 years down the line, Murray is trying to help Djokovic win the same title. But the Briton, who was playing a game of golf when he got Novak's message initiating the coach conversation, has never coached before. Most people might find Djokovic's decision surprising, but then try to analyse this for a minute. Djokovic doesn't need someone telling him how to play a forehand or when to attempt a down-the-line winner against a certain opponent. What he needs more than anything else is first-hand information about his opponents, along with motivation. And, in his head, someone who played his last competitive match just months ago can provide him with both. Not to mention the added drama of having a former World number one in his box. Will Djokovic Disrupt Again?No one can predict how Djokovic will react if he fails to find his top gear this time. But what if the Murray move works? More than anything else in his career, Djokovic has been a disruptor. He is prone to theatrics, which gave him the nickname of ‘The Djoker'. He has had to continually prove himself—to fans, to opponents, to experts, to his own self. But like any other champion athlete, he is a confident player. All he needs is a tiny spark. He might be almost 40, but will you be brave enough to bet against him having a tremendous, albeit short second wind, if he manages to do what he has done best since that evening in 2008—rule the Australian Open? (The author is a former sports editor and primetime sports news anchor. He is currently a columnist, features writer and stage actor) Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author |
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