‘He gives me motivation’ – Djokovic praises new coach Murray ahead of Australian Open
Video credit: SNTV
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the 2025 season, gets underway on Sunday, 12 January, but some of the sport’s biggest names will not get their first taste of action until Day 2.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner gets his title defence underway, looking to add to his tally of two Grand Slams which were both picked up on hard courts last season.
But as ever, there are plenty of challengers standing in his way.
On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic will have a very familiar face in his corner. The year’s first major offers the first chance for fans to see new coach Andy Murray in action, who looks to guide his now-colleague to a record 25th Grand Slam title and 11th at Melbourne Park – Djokovic’s most successful event.
In the women’s draw, world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, playing her first major since a one-month doping suspension late last year, is bidding to disrupt Aryna Sabalenka’s supremacy on this surface and win her first slam outside of Roland-Garros since 2022.
Sinner, Djokovic and Swiatek are all in action on Day 2, along with a host of other Grand Slam champions including Sinner’s major rival Carlos Alcaraz, in-form Coco Gauff, and Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
How to watch the 2025 Australian Open
You can watch the 2025 Australian Open live on Eurosport. You can live stream the action live and on-demand on discovery+.
When is DJOKOVIC playing?
Djokovic had a comparatively poor season in 2024, finishing the year without a single Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017.
But with the addition of rival-turned-coach Andy Murray to his team, it’s clear the Serbian is still hungry for more, and the Australian Open has proved a very happy hunting ground for him in the past.
He headlines the night session on show court Rod Laver Arena, playing from 08:00 UK time against 19-year-old American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy.
WHEN IS SINNER PLAYING?
World No. 1 Sinner is aiming for a third hard-court Grand Slam title in a row as he returns to Melbourne Park, the scene of his first triumph.
But the 23-year-old has a difficult first-round opponent – big-serving Chilean Nicolas Jarry.
Ranked 34th in the world, Jarry has only just missed out on seeding, and could cause problems for the Italian.
The defending champion will get his Australian Open campaign underway in the day session on Rod Laver Arena at approximately 03:00 UK time, after an all-American clash between former major winners Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin.
When is SWIATEK playing?
Swiatek has five Grand Slam titles to her name but has yet to replicate her hard-court triumph at the US Open in 2022, with all of her other victories coming on the French Open clay.
She suffered a surprise third-round exit at Melbourne Park last year, ousted by young Czech talent Linda Noskova, and opens her 2024 campaign against another Czech.
The Pole faces doubles World No. 1 Katerina Siniakova, who has nine doubles Grand Slams under her belt, in the day session on John Cain Arena.
Gauff admits feeling ‘more comfortable’ than when she lifted US Open title
Video credit: SNTV
Show courts order of play, singles – MONDAY, January 13 (All UK times)
Rod Laver Arena – from 00:30
- [3] Coco Gauff (USA) v Sofia Kenin (USA)
- [1] Jannik Sinner (Ita) v Nicolas Jarry (Chi)
Rod Laver Arena – from 08:00
- [7] Novak Djokovic (Srb) v Nishesh Basavareddy (USA)
- Naomi Osaka (Jpn) v Caroline Garcia (Fra)
Margaret Court Arena – from 00:30
- Ajla Tomljanovic (Aus) v Ashlyn Krueger (USA)
- [27] Jordan Thompson (Aus) v Dominik Koepfer (Ger)
Margaret Court Arena – from 08:00
- Alexander Shevchenko (Kaz) v [3] Carlos Alcaraz (Spa)
- Daria Snigur (Ukr) v [10] Danielle Collins (USA)
John Cain Arena – from 00:00
- [11] Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre) v Alex Michelsen (USA)
- Katerina Siniakova (Cze) v [2] Iga Swiatek (Pol)
John Cain Arena – from 06:00
- Maya Joint (Aus) v [7] Jessica Pegula (USA)
- Jacob Fearnley (GBr) v Nick Kyrgios (Aus)
Stream the Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+
