The Italian lifted his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne 12 months ago, guided by his coaches, Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill. It was a special win for Cahill, who hails from Australia, but the renowned tennis coach jokingly struck a nerve with his “crappy” comment that prompted Sinner to walk out of a press conference.

The top-ranked Sinner, who is the defending champion at Melbourne Park, and No. 3 Alcaraz are coming off a 2024 season in which they each won two Grand Slam titles.

The 2025 season has already begun, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will not make their debuts before the 2025 Australian Open. The Italian and the Spaniard will be the two players to beat again next year,

Following his strong run, Nishikori’s coach has now called out Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and warned that the former No. 4 can still be as dangerous as ever. Nishikori spent years at the top of men’s tennis, cementing himself as a solid top-10 player during the Big Four era. He reached a Grand Slam final at the US Open and lifted 12 titles.

Jannik Sinner will launch his Australian Open title defence under a stubborn doping cloud but the whiff of scandal may do little to halt the Italian juggernaut. Sinner remains the man to beat at Melbourne Park even as doping officials seek a two-year ban for the world number one for failing two drugs tests last March.

Carlos Alcaraz, ranked world No.3, aims to clinch his first Australian Open title, completing his career Grand Slam. With coach Ferrero back, he prepares for potential clashes with top seeds. Alcaraz emphasizes precision in serve,

Jannik Sinner will open his campaign against Nicholas Jarry, and Novak Djokovic will face Indian-origin American player Nishesh Basavareddy in his opener.