Jannik Sinner returns to Melbourne Park with history squarely in his sights, chasing a third consecutive Australian Open title and the kind of dominance that once defined Novak Djokovic’s reign at the season’s first Grand Slam.
The 24-year-old Italian arrives under far calmer skies than a year ago. His last title defense unfolded amid a doping case that resulted in a three-month ban, briefly clouding his rise.
That chapter is now closed, and Sinner steps onto the blue courts free of distraction, armed with momentum and belief after a superb 2025 season.
“I feel like a better player than last year,” Sinner said after defeating Carlos Alcaraz to win the season-ending ATP Finals, his 58th victory in a shortened campaign. “It was an amazing season. Many wins, not many losses. Even in the losses, I tried to take positives and evolve.”
Another Melbourne crown would place Sinner in rare company. Only Djokovic has managed a men’s three-peat in the Open era, achieving the feat twice during his record 10-title haul in Australia. Sinner already owns four major trophies and few doubt he has the tools to push that total higher.
Those tools remain rooted in ruthless efficiency: heavy, penetrating groundstrokes, metronomic baseline control and near-errorless consistency that steadily suffocates opponents. Yet Sinner has also refined his game, adding unpredictability and sharper serving, an evolution shaped by repeated clashes with Alcaraz.
“It’s evolved in a positive way, especially the serve,” Sinner said. “From the back of the court, it’s more unpredictable. You still have to give credit to your opponent. Carlos pushes you to your limits.”
That rivalry, quickly dubbed “Sincaraz”, has become men’s tennis’ defining duel.
The pair have split the last eight Grand Slam titles, four apiece, since Djokovic captured his 24th major at the 2023 U.S. Open. Melbourne, however, remains the one major where their rivalry has yet to produce a classic deep run.
Alcaraz, 22, arrives with his own piece of history in mind.
The Spaniard is chasing a career Grand Slam, with Australia the lone major missing from his resume. Despite six major titles, he has never progressed beyond the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park, losing there to Djokovic in 2025 and Alexander Zverev the year before.
“It’s my first goal,” Alcaraz said last year. “When I think about what I want to improve and achieve, the Australian Open is there.”
If he succeeds, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, surpassing compatriot Rafael Nadal, who achieved the feat at 24.
Standing directly in his path is Sinner, the two-time defending champion and arguably the most complete hard-court player in the field.
Alcaraz holds a 10-6 edge in their head-to-head and finished 2025 as world No. 1, nudging Sinner into second. He also beat the Italian in a light-hearted exhibition match in South Korea last weekend, their lone warm-up ahead of Melbourne.
Beyond the sport’s two standard-bearers, the field is deep but chasing.
Djokovic returns to his most successful Slam with fitness questions after withdrawing from the Adelaide International. The 38-year-old Serbian, still hunting a record 25th major, reached the semifinals of all four Slams last year but failed to advance further.
Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime will aim to break through for a first major, while three-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev looms as a threat after winning the Brisbane International.
Rising talents Learner Tien, Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca headline the new wave, and Alexander Bublik arrives in form after lifting the Hong Kong Open and cracking the top 10.
