Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic says that his rivalries with fellow ‘Big Three’ members Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have underpinned the success that has stamped him as one of the game’s greatest players of all time.

As he begins his quest for a record-extending eighth Australian Open title, the five-time year-end World No. 1 paid tribute to the men, with whom he will once against battle for the first major of the year.

“[My rivalry] with Roger and Rafa… is one of the motivations for me to still keep going at this age,” Djokovic, 32, said. “The three of us have inspired each other throughout our rivalries and careers to be better, to understand how we can overcome obstacles in the matchups.

“I am more grateful today to be in the same era with these two guys than I was probably 10, 15 years ago (smiling). I think that definitely rivalries with them made me very, very strong, very resilient, and also very motivated that I am still today.”

Chasing his fifth major after turning 30, Djokovic said that he also turned to his great rivals for inspiration to remain at the top of the game in the latter stages of his career.

“Roger has talked about this as well, Rafa as well, that age is just a number. It’s not just a cliché, but it’s really something that I feel like the three of us have in common. It’s really the way we approach career and our everyday life.

“I think we found a way, a formula, to balance private-professional life so we are able to kind of excel in tennis and still be able to compete at the highest level after many years, still be motivated, still be mentally fresh and, of course, physically prepared and fit to compete in best-of-five sets with young players that are coming up. They’re obviously very hungry to reach the great heights and fight for the biggest trophies in sport.”

Having seen Russian 23-year-old Daniil Medvedev push Nadal to five sets in the 2019 US Open final and 21-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas beat the world’s best to win November’s Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic says that the challenge to deny the game’s young stars a major breakthrough will be tougher than ever in 2020.

“They’re coming closer and closer. It’s obvious. Medvedev had a great fight with Rafa in the last Grand Slam in US Open of last season. Tsitsipas played semis here last year. Dominic Thiem twice finals in French Open. They’re very, very close. They’re literally one set away.

“On a given day, in the very near future, I think that can happen. It’s going to happen. It’s inevitable.”

Djokovic, who is chasing his 900^th match win Monday night against German Jan-Lennard Struff, said that his lead-in week to the Australian Open was less intense than previous years due to his strong performance at the inaugural ATP Cup, which included six singles wins in addition to doubles play.

“I did not have such an intensive couple of weeks the year before the Australian Open for many years. It was a lot of physical and emotional energy being spent in the ATP Cup, which of course was perfect for me individually, won all my matches in singles and doubles. We as a team won the title, which was definitely one of the highlights of my career.

“I keep saying that, winning with my friends, with the team, representing my country, winning team competitions, is definitely something that I cherish and that fulfills me truly.

“It was a phenomenal couple of weeks and great leadup to Australian Open. But it did take a lot out of me. I did adjust my training sessions towards that, so I had a little bit more of recuperation rather than just stepping on accelerator a little bit more.

“I just actually kind of put a level down a little bit, just tried to keep the sessions a bit shorter, with good intensity. That’s all, just maintain the right rhythm for the first match.”

No-one likes rejection. Whether it be asking a girl on a date or making advances on a new doubles partner, John Peers suffers the same rejection anxiety as the rest of us when he weighs the risk-reward equation. “I hate [the process],” he says.

Approaching a new doubles partner – especially one in a committed relationship – is inherently awkward. But believing that he was destined for success with World No. 11 Michael Venus, Peers initiated a WhatsApp thread with the New Zealander that has now paired the 30-somethings for the 2020 season.

“I’ve only [approached a new partner] a few times as I’ve been lucky enough to have a couple of long-term partners,” said Peers, who parted ways with Henri Kontinen at the end of last season. “It’s pretty much like a relationship: You throw a few messages out, hope for the best. Mike said yes, so that was good.

“It’s never easy looking, not knowing what they are going to say. He hung me out there for a few days to make we wait. We just wanted to make sure it would be good for both of us and fingers crossed it will be.”

While 20-time titlist Peers and Kontinen mutually agreed that it was in both their interests to seek success elsewhere, the decision was less clear-cut for Venus, who ended 2019 by reaching the Nitto ATP Finals title match with South African partner Raven Klaasen.

“The difficulty for me was that I’d had two good seasons with Raven, so when you’re doing well it’s never easy to go somewhere else,” Venus told ATPTour.com. “But things just seemed to align with John, including the ability to practise year-round together in London. Not many teams get that chance. We felt the more time we could spend together the more it would help. It was an opportunity I really liked the sound of.”

Venus says that he likes what his new partner brings to the table. “He’s got a big serve. He’s aggressive. Good hands around the net. Moves well. Understands the doubles game very well. I think he does everything pretty well. I’ll just try and hang onto him, clean up the little bits I can here and there.”

Although the new teammates are confident they have made the right choice, Peers admits that finding their best form together may happen after the season is in full swing. Earlier this week the team suffered a tight first-round loss in Auckland in their debut outing.

“The more time you spend together in difficult situations on the same side of the net the better things will get. In the tough situations it’s a bit of an unknown what they will do until you’ve spent time together. With time you get to know the finer details of what they want to do at certain moments.”

The seventh seeds will open their Australian Open campaign against Denmark’s Frederik Nielsen and Germany’s Tim Puetz.

Jannik Sinner is aware of the precedent former Next Gen ATP Finals champions Hyeon Chung of South Korea and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas have set for the 18-year-old Italian, who makes his Australian Open debut on Monday.

Both Chung and Tsitsipas won the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in November and, two months later, reached the semi-finals of the season’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne. Both players were 20 and upset all-time greats on their way to the last four: Chung stunned then-six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round, and Tsitsipas upset 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer to make the quarter-finals.

Like the previous Milan champions, Sinner feels momentum from winning the Next Gen ATP Finals. But the 18-year-old also knows his situation isn’t exactly the same as his counterparts and says he isn’t feeling any pressure to replicate Chung’s or Tsitisipas’ achievements Down Under.

“I think both have done a great job here, especially the beginning of the season. It can give you a little bit of confidence, winning this tournament or playing better in the end of the season,” Sinner said in Melbourne.

“I think I am still a little bit younger than them, so it’s a little bit different. The momentum, I don’t know if this year is going to be the momentum or maybe two or three years after. I think I will need a little bit more time. But after two weeks, we know everything.”

Sinner will face Aussie wild card Andrew Harris in his Melbourne debut on Monday. The Italian played his first Grand Slam match last August at the US Open. He qualified but lost to 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in four sets in the first round.

Sinner, however, hasn’t had such pre-tournament stress this month. He received direct entry into the main draw because of his FedEx ATP Ranking, No. 79, and spent last week adjusting to the conditions by practising with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev, among others.

The Newcomer of the Year in the 2019 ATP Awards is seeking his first win of 2020. He lost straight sets to Finland’s #NextGenATP Emil Ruusuvuori at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Bendigo. At the ASB Classic in Auckland, Sinner fell in three sets to eventual finalist Benoit Paire of France.

Jannik Sinner receives the Newcomer of the Year in the 2019 ATP Awards on Saturday in Melbourne. (Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

“The season, I didn’t start it as I wanted. We didn’t play so many matches before the Australian Open, so it’s not going to be easy for me. But I think we practised well. Our off-season, we put in a lot of work so I feel great on court… I felt here we especially tried to practise with the best guys,” Sinner said. “Day after day, I feel better on court, and we will see. The matches are always a little bit different, but hopefully I can feel better than the first two matches.”

Much about his life has changed since he beat three-time ATP Tour champion Alex de Minaur of Australia in the title match of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Autograph and selfie requests have skyrocketed, and journalists from around the world suddenly want a few minutes of his time wherever he goes. But to the 18-year-old, it’s all good.

“I am young, and I think at the moment nothing is heavy, to make some interviews, or some pictures with fans or something like this. If you’re young, it’s okay,” Sinner said. “I don’t know if you played 20 years on Tour, maybe it can be heavy sometimes, I don’t know. Now, for me, it’s okay.”

Sinner’s first Grand Slam win will come in the near future, even if Harris, No 162 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, leans on the home crowd and pulls off the upset. Either way, Sinner can appreciate how far he’s come in the past 12 months. One year ago, he was playing in a Futures Event in Monastir, Tunisia. He lost in the second round.

“A little bit changed,” Sinner said before laughing. “But I think the focus is always trying to be on court the best as you can be. Trying to improve your game always, day after day. That’s our main goal. Maybe off court a little bit changed, but on court is basically always the same.”

For the next fortnight, all eyes will be on the stars of the ATP Tour as they battle for the coveted champions’ trophy at the Australian Open. But there are many players who are flying under the radar and could make a splash at Melbourne Park. The first Grand Slam of the year provides fresh opportunities for everyone in the draw, especially those who have plotted their ascent on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2019.

There are plenty of questions to be answered over the next 14 days and the stakes couldn’t be higher. For those rising the FedEx ATP Rankings on the Challenger circuit, a berth in a Grand Slam main draw is a significant prize. A platform to showcase their skills and eventually take the next step on the ATP Tour, it presents a huge opportunity on a global stage.

A strong performance at the Australian Open can prove to be career-altering for many Challenger stars, as they target the Top 100 and beyond. So, which players are poised to wreak havoc on the draw? We look at five to watch Down Under…

Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
Of the 16 players to emerge from qualifying, six are making their Grand Slam debuts at the Australian Open. Welcome to the big show, Tallon Griekspoor, Mario Vilella Martinez, Mohamed Safwat, Daniel Elahi Galan, Max Purcell and Alejandro Tabilo.

Few are as prepared for the bright lights of a Grand Slam as the emerging Dutch star Griekspoor. After claiming his first Challenger title in 2018, the Haarlem native made his mark with a standout 2019 campaign.

In back-to-back years, Griekspoor earned upset victories over Stan Wawrinka and Karen Khachanov at his home ATP 500 event in Rotterdam. His mettle tested, both Top 20 wins came from a set down, delighting the home faithful with a pair of heoric performances. In fact, the victory over Khachanov propelled him to greater heights as 2019 progressed.

A career-high of No. 161 in the FedEx ATP Rankings would come on the heels of a final run at the Challenger event in Tampere and title in Banja Luka. Boasting an aggressive mentality and strong baseline game, the 23-year-old is looking to guide Dutch tennis into the new decade. After not dropping a set in qualifying, he will make his Grand Slam debut on Tuesday against 29th seed Taylor Fritz.

Corentin Moutet (FRA)
If his results at the season-opening ATP 250 event in Doha are any indication of his 2020 form, it looks like Moutet’s Challenger days are numbered. The 20-year-old stormed to his first ATP Tour final as a qualifier, dominating the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with breakthrough wins over Milos Raonic, Fernando Verdasco and Stan Wawrinka. It was quite the impressive start to the season for one of 2019’s top Challenger stars.

Up to a career-high No. 70 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the #NextGenATP Frenchman is carrying the momentum from a string of strong performances on the ATP Challenger Tour last year. Moutet rose the ranks behind title runs on the hard courts of Chennai and clay of Lyon, semi-finals in Rennes, St. Brieuc and Tallahassee, as well as a runner-up finish in Samarkand.

His 29-14 record saw him crack the Top 100 for the first time and he didn’t stop there. At the ripe age of 20, Moutet already has plenty of Grand Slam experience as he enters Melbourne Park. Not only did he reach the third round at Roland Garros, but he followed that with an opening victory over Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon.

Moutet will need to channel that experience at the Australian Open, opening against Marin Cilic on Court 5 on Monday. Auckland finalist Benoit Paire and ninth seed Roberto Bautista Agut are also in his immediate section of the draw.

Dennis Novak (AUT)
Just like Moutet, Novak is riding a wave of momentum as he kicks off his campaign Down Under. With former Top 10 doubles star Julian Knowle in his corner, the Austrian is peaking at the right time to open the new season.

It did not take long for Novak to make his Top 100 debut in 2020, joining the club with an upset of Guido Pella at the ATP Cup in Sydney. And from there, with a shiny new position of No. 99 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, he stormed through qualifying at the Australian Open without dropping a set.

Ever since his initial splash at Wimbledon in 2018, reaching the third round as a qualifier, Novak has been pushing towards his big breakthrough. Last year, the 26-year-old lifted his first ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Taipei, reached a final on grass in Ilkley and added a second crown on the indoor hard courts of Bratislava. It was all part of a 27-14 campaign that saw him catapult up the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Novak opens against Hubert Hurkacz on Court 19 on Monday. It will be their first encounter since the Pole prevailed at the Challenger in Budapest in 2018. The winner will face either Aussie John Millman or Auckland champion Ugo Humbert.

Christopher O’Connell (AUS)
The 25-year-old O’Connell has always dreamed of playing on home soil at the Australian Open. Being drawn to open against the hottest player on the planet in Andrey Rublev? Well that’s a different story.

The in-form Aussie will be thrown into the fire against the red-hot Rublev on Tuesday, but he’s no stranger to tough draws in Melbourne. Three years ago, O’Connell made his Grand Slam debut here against Grigor Dimitrov, succumbing in straight sets. The Sydney native is a completely different player now and if his 2019 results are a harbinger of things to come, we should be in for a thrilling opening encounter.

For many years, O’Connell was battling outside the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, grinding on the ITF circuit and ATP Challenger Tour. And in 2018, the 25-year-old Aussie took up a second job cleaning boats while recovering from a knee injury. But perseverance pays off and that is certainly applicable for the Sydneysider.

From not having an ATP Ranking to open the 2019 season to sitting at a career-high No. 116 one year later, O’Connell made the most of his opportunities. After reaching nine finals on the ITF circuit from March to July, he took the next step and lifted his first Challenger trophy on the clay of Cordenons. And he was not done there, advancing to three more finals and adding another trophy in Fairfield. There, he earned his first Top 100 win in three years, upsetting Steve Johnson in the championship match. With a surge of momentum at his back, the upstart Aussie has his sights firmly set on the Top 100 and beyond in 2020.

Tommy Paul (USA)
The 22-year-old Paul is finally putting it all together. After enjoying a dominant 2019 campaign, the American launched the new decade with a first ATP Tour semi-final appearance in Adelaide, not dropping a set en route to the last four.

Up to No. 90 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Paul is hoping his Challenger days are behind him after appearing in his first Australian Open main draw. He opens against Leonardo Mayer on Monday and could face 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.

One year ago, the North Carolina native was sitting outside the Top 200 and unable to get through qualifying in Melbourne. What a difference 12 months make. In fact, it was in April that Paul was at No. 204 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, but that would spark a sensational surge and newfound belief in the American.

Of all players with at least 30 Challenger matches played in 2019, no one had fewer losses than Paul. He posted a staggering 30-5 record and finished in second place among win percentage leaders (.857), only behind Ricardas Berankis (.889).

Behind a mature approach and more determined attitude, the 22-year-old stepped up under pressure. A first clay-court title in Sarasota was followed by victories in New Haven and Tiburon. It was in New Haven that Paul cracked the Top 100 for the first time, eventually peaking at No. 79 in the ATP Rankings.

Five More To Watch…
-Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP): The Spaniard couldn’t have asked for a better finish to 2019, lifting his second Challenger trophy, cracking the Top 100 and appearing at the Next Gen ATP Finals – all in the final weeks of the season. Now, Davidovich Fokina is set to make his Australian Open debut against Norbert Gombos on Court 10 on Monday. The World No. 85 could face 14th seed Diego Schwartzman in the second round.

-James Duckworth (AUS): The Aussie is looking towards a successful 2020 on the ATP Tour after dominating the Challenger circuit last year. The match wins and titles leader found his way back to the Top 100 after undergoing foot, shoulder and elbow surgeries. Determined to earn his spot in the Australian Open main draw without a wild card, he lifted the trophy in Pune to cap the 2019 season. The home hope opens against Aljaz Bedene on Tuesday.

-Marcos Giron (USA): Sitting at No. 112 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the American is eyeing a long-awaited Top 100 breakthrough. He enters on the heels of a title run in Houston to finish 2019 and semi-final finish in Bendigo to open 2020. Philipp Kohlschreiber awaits in the first round.

-Max Purcell (AUS): With countryman Luke Saville, the duo accounted for a tour-leading seven Challenger doubles titles in 2019. And they kicked off 2020 with a crown at the Canberra International. But Purcell is not a doubles specialist. The 21-year-old Sydney native is enjoying great success in singles as well. He will make his Grand Slam debut against Jannik Sinner after emerging from qualifying.

-Mohamed Safwat (EGY): At the age of 29, Safwat is the first Egyptian to feature in the Australian Open main draw since 1978. He will open against Gregoire Barrere after earning three straight-set wins in qualifying to punch his ticket. A runner-up in Helsinki to conclude 2019, it was his third Challenger final.

Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff tumbled through the range of emotions upon learning he had received the draw no one wants at the Australian Open. The 29-year-old was angry when he learned he would be facing seven-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the first round.

“God, why? Why that?” Struff remembered thinking to himself. “It’s one of the draws you don’t want to get first round.”

But then Struff, who faced Roger Federer on Rod Laver Arena two years ago, cheered up a little. He remembered the buzz inside the packed stadium and the ecstatic fans cheering for one of the all-time greats.

“I felt like, ‘Yeah, okay. Why not?’” Struff told ATPTour.com. “It’s a big match, big court. I’m playing the second night match, so special. I played against Rog here. Still have it in my mind. It was just an amazing experience. Really looking forward to playing that match on Rod Laver.”

Struff and Djokovic will meet for the third time on Monday night inside the 14,820-seat stadium, where Djokovic won his record seventh title against Rafael Nadal one year ago. The World No. 2 brings a 6-0 mark on the year to the season’s first Grand Slam and a 68-8 career record in Melbourne. Djokovic has lost before the quarter-finals here only twice, in 2017 (second round, l. to Istomin) and 2018 (fourth round, l. to Chung).

Struff, meanwhile, has advanced past the Australian Open first round only once (1-5 overall). In 2018, he beat South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon before pushing the eventual champion Federer 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(4).

But Struff has played the best tennis of his career since. Last July, he reached a career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 33, and he advanced to his first fourth round at a Grand Slam at Roland Garros, losing to Djokovic 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Struff said a lack of belief might have seeped into his mind in Paris against the five-time year-end World No. 1. The German also was still feeling the effects of his 4-6, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(1), 11-9 win against Croatia’s Borna Coric in the third round.

“I played a very good first set and then stopped a bit playing, and maybe didn’t believe that much that I could beat him,” Struff said. “Then he played just too good.”

Struff also faced the 16-time Grand Slam champion at the 2017 Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. In both players’ first match of the season, Struff served for the first set at 5-2 but lost 7-6(1), 6-3.

“I started pretty aggressive, pretty straightforward. I liked the way I played. It was tough to serve out the set there. But that will help me, the experience from that,” Struff said.

The German has started 2020 positively as well. As his country’s No. 2 singles player, Struff went 2-1 at the ATP Cup in Brisbane, a run that featured a 6-1, 6-4 win against #NextGenATP star Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada.

“Big compliment to Struff. What a player, what a fighter. Every time he plays for Germany he brings his best tennis, and who can say that?” Germany’s captain Boris Becker told ATPTour.com.

“Really great character. Great personality. A true professional. A true sportsman. Effort level, always 100 per cent. He may not always play his best, but his effort level is always there. For a captain, it’s a joy to have him on the team.”

Unfortunately for Struff, Djokovic also started the season well. He beat Nadal and won a deciding doubles match with Viktor Troicki in Sydney to clinch the inaugural ATP Cup title for Serbia.

But Struff isn’t running away from facing Djokovic. By now, he’s overcome the anger and accepted the challenge.

“I came here and wanted to go deep in the tournament. And then you play one of the favourites to win the thing, the champion who won the most titles here. It’s a tough draw. But I don’t want to stop just because I play against him,” Struff said.

“For me, I’m ranked 37^th in the world. There’s not many times I can attend to the big courts. It’s good. I will go out there and try to win the match… Obviously, I play one of the best players of all-time. It’s a tough challenge but I want to start that challenge.”

As he prepares for his 21^stAustralian Open, Roger Federer was presented with the 2019 ATPTour.com Fans’ Favourite Award. The six-time champion in Melbourne, who is one of the most popular players in tennis history, won the award for the 17^th straight year.

The 38-year-old Swiss has been honoured with a record 38 ATP Awards starting with his first Fans’ Favourite Award in 2003. Federer has also been selected by fellow players as the recipient of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award (2004-09, 2011-17) and Comeback Player of the Year (2017); received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award (2006, 2013); and is a five-time ATP Tour No. 1 (2004-07, ’09).

Federer begins his quest for a record-extending 21^st Grand Slam title on Monday against American Steve Johnson.

It has been an emotional build-up to the Australian Open for Nick Kyrgios this year, with the Canberra native lending his support to bushfire relief off the court and helping his nation to reach the semi-finals of the inaugural ATP Cup in front of home fans.

But while those efforts have left the 24-year-old searching for a balance in recent weeks, Kyrgios believes that playing for a greater purpose has elevated his game.

“It is not easy to just completely switch your concentration [to] the Australian Open… When you put it in perspective of what is actually going on… I have to find the balance. I have to go out there and try to get the best out of my game,” said Kyrgios.

“But I think when I’m playing, at the moment, I’m playing for a lot more than myself. I feel like I’m getting the best out of myself with that.”

The World No. 26 will continue to donate AUD $200 to aid bushfire relief for every ace he serves during this year’s opening major championship and his charitable efforts have also inspired a number of fellow players to make similar donations.

Kyrgios was also present at Rally For Relief on Wednesday, a fundraising event at Rod Laver Arena which helped raise almost AUD $5 million for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. The six-time ATP Tour titlist’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by fans at Melbourne Park, with Kyrgios feeling he has received ‘maybe a little’ more support than usual as he makes his final preparations for the tournament.

“Every time I play here, I’m well-supported,” said Kyrgios. “All my practices are pretty full. I think people are excited to see me.

“I guess with everything going on, the other stuff outside tennis, maybe that’s more what they support rather than my tennis itself. Everything I’m doing is just because I care.”

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The ATP Cup provided Australian players with the unique experience of playing for their country on home soil ahead of the Australian Open. Kyrgios won three of his four matches at the innovative team event, his only tournament appearance ahead of the Australian Open.

“I really enjoyed [the ATP Cup]. I think a lot of players did. For the first time they’ve had it, I think it was a success,” said Kyrgios. “I really thought it was awesome. I think a lot of my teammates loved it, as well.

“Just any time you get the chance to play in front of your home crowd, feel the energy like that, it’s pretty special.”

After the intensity of the ATP Cup, Kyrgios has enjoyed spending time on the practice court with fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson. The 2015 quarter-finalist will be aiming to improve his 11-6 record at Melbourne Park this year.

“[I have been] feeling good [in the] past couple days. I’ve hit with my good friend, Thompson. Having a good time,” said Kyrgios.

Kyrgios will open his campaign against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy. The top-ranked Australian in this year’s draw beat Sonego in their only previous ATP Head2Head meeting at last year’s Western & Southern Open in straight sets.

“Sonego is a tough competitor,” said Kyrgios. “I played him in Cincinnati last year. It was a tough match. Very capable player. Big serve. Loves to hit his forehand.”

With the feeling of playing for a bigger cause and the support of a nation as the top-ranked Australian in the draw, could Kyrgios be ready for another deep run at this year’s event?