The first grand slam of the year is here, with the Australian Open kicking off what is set to be a stellar campaign on court. Young sensation Jannik Sinner heads Down Under as the reigning champion after becoming just the second Italian man ever to win a Slam. He handed Novak Djokovic his first loss on Melbourne's famed hard courts in some six years in last year's semifinals, before rallying to overturn a two-set deficit in the final against Danil Medvedev to claim his maiden crown.
But the talented 23-year-old wasn't done there. He went on to secure further glory as he won the US Open in September, before ending the year with victory at the ATP Finals and cementing his status as the best player on the planet at present. He heads back to Melbourne as the overwhelming favorite to claim back-to-back titles, but he will have some way to go before he can feature on this list of the tournament's greatest-ever players.
No player has dominated the Australian Open quite like Novak Djokovic. The Serbian maestro has romped to an astonishing ten titles throughout his all-time great career, a record that cements his legacy as the King of Melbourne Park. Between 2018 and 2024, he didn't lose a single contest at the tournament - winning four titles in the process - before he was downed by Jannik Sinner in last year's semifinal.
His first triumph came back in 2008 at just 20 years of age, when he rallied from a set down to defeat French powerhouse Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Throughout the 2010s, it was his rivalry with British star Andy Murray that took center stage. The pair met four times in five years between 2011 and 2016, with the sensational Nole winning on each occasion.
Throughout his storied career, Djokovic embarked on a battle for the ages against Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal. The pair met in both 2012 and 2019, with the Serb winning both times. This year, however, a potential 11th victory could be aided by the fact that his long-time adversary has now retired.
Nadal opted to walk away from the sport late last year, clearing the way for many of his rivals to gun for Grand Slam glory. The Majorca-born icon now finds himself with the perfect opportunity to fully enjoy his hobbies, one of which happens to be playing casino online games such as poker and blackjack. Perhaps this is where he’ll get the thrill of the chase in the future - not from the racquet, but from a hand of cards. Indeed, his enthusiasm for these games goes so far that he even mentioned the former in a 2015 YouTube interview alongside pros Vanessa Selbst and Melanie Weisner. The King of Clay has occasionally been spotted at various establishments over the years, and with more free time, he can turn his attention to playing in the casino online, perhaps making a brand new name for himself here.
But while Nadal may have put aside the tennis shoes, Djokovic is still raring to go, after his record-extending 11th title. Don't be surprised if he secures it this year.
Before Djokovic, one man stood head and shoulders above the rest not just at the Australian Open, but on any court on the planet. That of course was Roger Federer. The mercurial Swiss star is renowned for his love affair with Wimbledon, but he has had plenty of success in Melbourne as well. His maiden triumph came back in 2004 as he defeated would-be champion Marat Safin in straight sets just six months on from his first-ever Slam at the All England Club.
Over the course of the next six years, Federer would add four more titles with wins over Marcos Baghdatis, Fernando González, and Andy Murray. The latter of those triumphs came in 2010, and then the former undisputed king of tennis would have to take a backseat to the other three members of the "Big Four," namely Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray. Those three contested five of the next six finals, with Djokovic winning all five and the sixth being claimed by compatriot Stan Wawrinka.
But perhaps Federer's finest hour Down Under came at the twilight of his career. In 2017, he headed to Victoria without a Grand Slam title in almost five years, the longest drought of his career. At the age of 35, further triumphs seemed unlikely, but the Swiss superman was about to roll back the years.
Following the early exits of both Djokovic and Murray, Federer managed to make his way to the final, where he would meet long-time rival Nadal. Despite the Spaniard being much younger and fresher, it was the 35-year-old veteran who managed to get the job done, winning a five-set thriller to claim the title for a fifth time. The following year, he successfully defended his crown, picking up his 20th and final Slam at the ripe old age of 36, becoming the oldest victor in almost half a century.