Novak Djokovic threw his Australian Open hopes into doubt at the start of the month after withdrawing from a warm-up event. The 38-year-old tennis great pulled out of the Adelaide International,

Novak Djokovic showed he has a sense of humour after his hilarious reaction to a Roger Federer- inspired heckle that interrupted him while playing. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was facing Frances Tiafoe in a charity exhibition match in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Djokovic, 38, has won 10 of his 24 major titles in Melbourne, most recently in 2023. But the Serbian legend hasn’t won a Slam since the 2023 U.S. Open, as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have vacuumed up all eight majors since then.

Novak Djokovic returns to Melbourne Park looking to roll back the apparently inexorable tide of the "Sincaraz" era and produce an Australian Open triumph that would establish him as the most successful Grand Slam champion of all time.

The field is set for the 2026 Australian Open, and everyone is chasing Jannik SInner on the men's side after a dominating tournament win a year ago. The Italian phenom enters this year's tennis competition as the second seed while his Spanish counterpart Carlos Alcaraz occupies the top spot.

The development comes days after Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Adelaide International, citing a lack of acclimatisation. | Tennis News

Doubts are surrounding Novak Djokovic's fitness heading into this year's Australian Open after the 10-time champ reportedly had trouble with his neck in a practice session. Djokovic has not taken part in any of the lead-up tournaments to the Australian Open with the 38-year-old working his own way into the grand slam.

The only ATP top 8 player we have yet to see on a tennis court in 2026, whether in official competition or exhibition, is none other than Novak Djokovic.