Australian Open begins on Sunday with two-man race between Alcaraz and Sinner and Sabalenka emerges as favourite on the women’s side

From today, the sporting world will turn its attention to a two-horse race. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner….daylight…some more daylight…and then the rest. Men’s tennis, at this moment, is an ‘either this or that’, with the last eight slams carved up between these two men. And no one will be shocked if they front up again on February 1, with Sinner looking to complete a hattrick of Australian Open titles, and Alcaraz targeting his first.

Endearingly, the two men arrived in Australia on the same charter plane. But behind the shared smiles and public camaraderie is a simmering rivalry. Alcaraz leads the Italian 10-6 in their head-to-head, but has never gone past the quarterfinals at this slam, the only one he hasn’t won yet. And to climb Mt. Melbourne, Alcaraz will be without Juan Carlos Ferrero, who coached him since the age of 15 and has been in his corner for each of the six majors that sit on his mantelpiece.

“It’s a chapter that has ended,” volleying back the inevitable question about Ferrero’s departure. “I’m very grateful for the seven years, I’ve learned a lot, and thanks to him I am the player I am now.”


Yet, even as this reigning duopoly headlines the tournament, some compelling sub-plots demand attention. How far can the warrior spirit of Novak Djokovic take him at the arena where he has won 10 of his 24 major titles? Four months short of 39, Djokovic refuses to relent in his pursuit of glory, and with 27 wins from his last 31 matches, he is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion of the Open era.

To most observers though, the prospect of Djokovic emerging with a W against either Sinner or Alcaraz appears a bridge too far.

However, a wave of emerging talent may be ready to challenge SinCaraz, much like Djokovic barged into the dominant club set up by Federer and Nadal. And the leader of that pack is 19-year old Brazilian Joao Fonseca. Ranked 28, Fonseca has been earmarked as the “next big thing” in the game. Blessed with sparkling firepower with a personality to match and some eyecatching success already, Fonseca arrives in Melbourne under an injury cloud. He may not be ready for major success yet, but the fraternity is convinced that Fonseca is destined for greatness.

“I hope his mindset isn’t to be the third guy behind Carlos and Jannik, but to become the best,” said an obviously impressed Federer. “What makes him unique is his power. He has a special aura and seems like a very nice kid. I enjoy watching him play. In a way, he reminds me of myself: he needs time to improve his game and learn when to change rhythm. Once he figures that out, the sky is the limit.”

On the women’s side, the “anyone can win” narrative that defined the circuit appears to be changing. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, having demolished five opponents in straight sets on her way to winning the tune-up tournament in Brisbane, is the clear front-runner to recapture the title she won in 2023 and 2024. At 27, and at the peak of her powers, she seems to have landed on a trusted formula to deliver success.“The thing that’s been working for me quite well is balancing,” Sabalenka explains. “When it’s a match day, I’m like fully focused, fully prepared. But when it’s an off day, I obviously do my hitting, then I go for dinner or for [a] walk to completely get disconnected from tennis world for a little moment, so I feel fresh and ready to go the next day.”

Quite clearly, with these compelling storylines on offer, the “happy slam”, as the Australian Open is often described, promises to swivel us from side to side in excitement. Belt up for a fortnight of mouth-watering action!