The blazing fire of the golden era of men's tennis has been reduced to dying embers without Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, but Novak Djokovic can send one last flame shooting into the Melbourne sky at this year's Australian Open.

Having ticked Olympic champion off his wishlist in Paris, Djokovic has the record for most Grand Slam singles titles in his sights, and few would bet against him walking out of Rod Laver Arena on Jan 26 with the unprecedented 25th.

Yes, at 37, the body is no longer what it was, and yes, world No 1 Jannik Sinner won both of their contests last year, but the fierce drive that made Serbia's favorite son the most successful male player of all time endures.

"My main motivation comes from love and passion for the sport, and also the desire to keep competing," he said after losing to Sinner in the Shanghai Masters final in his last outing of 2024.

"These are the kind of matches and challenges that I still strive for, to be in a position to play against the best players in the world, on the biggest stage, in the finals of some of the biggest tournaments in the world."

In 2024, Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam for the first time since 2017 — his other loss to Sinner came in the semis in Melbourne — but he proved he was still a sensational tennis player on his day when he beat Carlos Alcaraz to win Olympic gold.

There could be no place more appropriate for Djokovic to finally break free of his tie with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles than in her own backyard at Melbourne Park, where he has won the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup 10 times.

Some quibble at the standard of some of the 11 Australian Opens that Court won, and others despise the 82-year-old for her politics, but a Grand Slam record is a Grand Slam record and Court shares it.

Djokovic, like Court, won his first major at the Australian Open and he can end the debate definitively on his 22nd visit to Melbourne as a professional.

Grand statesman

Aside from the reliable band of supporters from the local Serbian community, Djokovic has rarely been the most popular player at Melbourne Park, but he has always been among the best.

From the dead-eyed competitor of his youth, through the self-styled "Djoker" of his 20s, to today's grand statesman of the game, Djokovic has played some incredible tennis on the famous blue courts.

A recent Djokovic trip Down Under was famously cut short by deportation from Australia during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, an incident which still triggers some nerves when he arrives at Melbourne airport.

This year, he arrived in Australia accompanied for the first time by his family, and they were on hand as he was beaten in two sets by inspired American Reilly Opelka in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International.

Warm-up tournament results have never been a reliable predictor of how Djokovic will perform at the main event, however.

His contemporary Andy Murray, who lost four Australian Open finals to Djokovic, signed up to his coaching team in the off-season and John McEnroe reckons the Scot will give Djokovic a shove, should he need it, as he approaches the summit.

"I think Murray will bring something to the table," the American great said of the unlikely appointment. "Just his mere presence, and the fact that Novak has a lot of respect for him, means he will be able to push him when he needs to."

Reuters