Dominant Djokovic up for ‘Golden Slam’ challenge

All four Grand Slam titles and Olympics gold medal on Serb star’s radar

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic is hitting ever greater heights ahead of the Australian Open — posing problems for his rivals, and raising distant hopes of the first ever men’s ‘Golden Slam’.

Picking up where he left off after a blistering 2015, Djokovic destroyed Rafael Nadal in last week’s Qatar Open final, in a performance the Spaniard called “stratospheric”.

“I played against a player who did everything perfect. I know nobody playing tennis like this ever,” said the 14-time Grand Slam-winner.

No male player — and only Steffi Graf on the women’s side — has ever achieved the Golden Slam: winning all four major titles and Olympic singles gold in a single year.



Last season Djokovic fell just one victory short of the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, after losing the French Open final to Stan Wawrinka.

A strong performance looks likely in Melbourne, Djokovic’s most successful Grand Slam where he has won five out of five finals, including last year against Andy Murray.

But the 10-time major champion will not be looking too far beyond the year’s opening Grand Slam, which starts on Monday. “My thoughts are only directed to Melbourne and what I need to do there,” he said.

Murray, who will be in the bottom half of the men’s draw and seeded to face Djokovic in the January 31 final, sees the Serb as a huge challenge.



Murray carries the baggage of losing four Melbourne finals — three of them to Djokovic — but is continuing his dogged pursuit of a breakthrough.

“I’m doing everything I can to try and win here,” said the 28-year-old Scot. “It’d mean a lot because of how many times I’ve been close.”

Roger Federer, as the third seed on rankings, could face either Djokovic or Murray in the semi-finals as the 17-time Grand Slam champion looks to win his first major title since Wimbledon 2012.



The Swiss maestro has won four Australian Opens, but lost to Djokovic at last year’s Wimbledon and US Open finals. At 34, he is running out of time to add to his all-time record haul of Grand Slam titles.

Nadal has won once in Australia, over Federer in a classic five-set final in 2009, and has had some of his career low points with tournament-ending injuries in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, local interest will focus on the antics of talented but wayward young Aussies Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2016.

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