Novak Djokovic a CONFIRMED starter for Brisbane International – as fallen star Bernard Tomic eyes off 2025 Australian Open opportunity
- The Serbian will fine-tune his game in Brisbane
- Before the Australian Open from January 12
- Chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title
Novak Djokovic has signed up to play the Brisbane International, which starts later this month, as the superstar Serbian chases a record 25th grand slam title.
Djokovic joins a hot Brisbane field that includes Nick Kyrgios, defending champion Grigor Dimitrov, Holger Rune, Frances Tiafoe, Matteo Berrettini, Sebastian Korda, Gael Monfils, plus local hopes Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson.
The ATP event runs from December 29 to January 5, while the Australian Open starts on January 12.
Djokovic has had a frustrating season, with 2024 marking the first year since 2017 in which he has failed to win any of the four majors.
The 37-year-old, now ranked seventh in the world, is one trophy away from surpassing Margaret Court’s joint record of 24 grand slam singles crowns.
Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz in Paris to win his first Olympic gold medal earlier this year. He joined Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams as only the fifth tennis player to complete the legendary ‘golden slam’.
Meanwhile, Bernard Tomic is currently training on the Gold Coast as he prepares to compete for a place in the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time in three years.
The former world number 17 ranking plummeted to 825 in 2022, but at the age of 32 he has fought his way back to number 214.
Novak Djokovic has signed up to play the Brisbane International, which starts later this month, as the superstar Serbian looks for a record 25th career grand slam title
Bernard Tomic is pushing hard to secure a place in the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time in three years after his ranking plummeted to 825 in the world in 2022.
After briefly breaking into the top 200 in October, Tomic can now take part in qualifying for the Australian Open next month.
Remarkably, Tomic competed in low-level events in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Qatar, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Turkey, Brazil, Thailand, India, Colombia, Spain, the United States and Canada in an attempt to rebuild his ranking to build.
Retired Australian Davis Cup representative John Millman praised the Tomic graft around the world.
‘I love it. What an effort for Bernie to come back,” Millman told the BBC Sydney Morning Herald.
“To go there and go through the Futures and Challengers like he has done is huge. These are really unglamorous tournaments.
“I think he had to take it pretty hard at times, and he came out the other side.”
In Melbourne, crowd favorite Kyrgios is also about to return to the field after two years full of injuries.
It is understood the 29-year-old will use his ATP-protected ranking of 21 at Melbourne Park rather than receive a wildcard.