Novak Djokovic may face off against rising stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in Melbourne prior to the Australian Open, as all three players have confirmed their participation in a charity event at Melbourne Park from January 7 to 10. The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, is scheduled to take place from January 14 to 28.
Djokovic, a record 10-time champion at the Australian Open, has not registered for any tournaments in the lead-up to the event. Traditionally, he would kick off his season by representing Serbia at the United Cup; however, Serbia will not compete in 2025. His commitment to the charity event indicates that he will not participate in any ATP tournaments the week before the Grand Slam. Additionally, he may play in the Kooyong Classic, a popular exhibition event also held in Melbourne.
Joining Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz in the charity lineup are Australian players Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin, as well as 2024 Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen.
Charity Event Details
The charity event will launch on January 7 with a Tie-Break Tens competition featuring six players on Rod Laver Arena, accompanied by a DJ. Another highlight will be “the Australian Open 1 Point Slam,” which allows local club players to compete against professionals.
Craig Tiley, tournament director of the Australian Open, expressed excitement about the event: “The 2025 Australian Open will kick off with more incredible tennis and entertainment than ever before, with four spectacular nights of charity matches on Rod Laver Arena featuring international stars including our 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz, and Zheng Qinwen. Australian players Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin will also compete, supporting various children’s charities through the Australian Tennis Foundation. With Dylan Alcott as MC, the atmosphere will be electric, featuring live music and player interactions with fans.”
Tickets for the event are priced affordably, with Ground Passes available for $15 for adults and $10 for children. Fans will have the opportunity to watch qualifying matches, see top players practice, enjoy live music, and sample a variety of food and drinks. The event will also distribute 5,000 Hot Shots tennis racquets to children.
Djokovic’s Goals for 2025
After Sinner and Alcaraz split the four Grand Slam titles in 2024, leaving Djokovic without a Slam title for the first time since 2017, the current world No. 7 is determined to reclaim his status in 2025. To bolster his chances, he has hired Andy Murray as his coach for the Australian Open. Djokovic emphasized the importance of having a coach with similar experiences: “I realized that the perfect coach would be someone who has been through what I have. The discussion about Andy Murray came up, and I decided to reach out to him. I can’t be more excited about it,” he told Sky Sports.
While Djokovic may not go full strength in the charity matches against Sinner and Alcaraz, he undoubtedly aims to win for the sake of his mental preparation as he looks ahead to the Australian Open.
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