Djoker weighs in on injury concern; AO villain rips Netflix doco – Aus Open Daily

The Australian Open gets underway on Sunday for the first time this year, with defending champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in action to close out the tournament’s opening day of action.

There are four Australians in action on Sunday, with Adam Walton, Dane Sweeny, Chris O’Connell and Jason Kubler all looking to progress beyond the first round while Alex de Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic highlight Monday’s play.

For the time being, foxsports.com.au has the latest news and updates from Melbourne Park ahead of Sunday’s opening matches.

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DJOKOVIC CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AMID WRIST CONCERN

Novak Djokovic has declared he is pain free and ready to continue an unbeaten streak at Melbourne Park dating back to a shock Australian Open loss to Hyeon Chung in 2018.

The 10-time Australian Open champion received treatment for a wrist injury while playing in the United Cup in Perth at the start of the year but declared it is no longer an issue.

“My wrist is good,” he said on Saturday.

“I had time from the last match against (Alex) de Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover. I’ve been training well. Practice sessions (are) pain-free so far.

“It’s good. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”

The 24-time major winner, who opens his Australian Open defence against Croatian Dino Prizmic on Sunday night, trained with Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny on Saturday.

Djokovic has a history of succeeding in Melbourne despite dealing with injuries that would curtail the chances of most players.

In 2021 he suffered an abdominal tear against Taylor Fritz in the third round but managed to find a way to win that match and then manage the problem throughout the remaining fortnight.

Unable to play the Australian Open a year later after being deported on the eve of the tournament, he returned to Melbourne last year but suffered a tear in his hamstring mid-event.

Despite the drama, he ultimately proved far too strong for Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. He described the wrist issue as minor compared to those challenges.

“It’s not as bad as some other injuries I (have) had here. 2021 and last year I had worse injuries that I had to deal with,” he said.

“I can’t predict whether it’s going to come back. Once I start playing more matches, stress levels go higher. I don’t know. We have to find out.”

MEDVEDEV SHRUGS OFF DOCO SWIPE

Former Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev has shrugged off his characterisation as an antagonist in Netflix’s Break Point documentary, labelling the series fake.

An episode profiling Zverev released this week makes no mention of domestic abuse allegations levelled against the German, which led to it being widely panned by viewers.

Zverev at one stage of the episode is seen celebrating a Medvedev loss.

“I didn’t watch the episode. I saw a little bit here and there. I’m still on social media. I didn’t watch it and probably will not because I’ll get frustrated, probably,” Medvedev said ahead of the Australian Open.

“I heard a little bit. I don’t have much to say. That’s how Netflix is, and that’s why we see it, because it exaggerates things. It’s usually hot and cold. There is no neutral.

“People around me, people in the locker room, they know how I am … on court, which can be tricky, how I am off court. I feel like I have a good relationship with most of the tour.

“I don’t have much to add because, yeah, the series is not real life.”

Compatriot Daria Kasatkina took aim at the episode via X.

“In this story, I wish kids will take a “villain” as an example of a human being. Danya is the best, Netflix sucks btw”.

Medvedev takes on Frenchman Terence Atmane in the first round.

AUSSIE MASTER COACH BEHIND SINNER’S RISE

Jannik Sinner credited master coach Darren Cahill Friday with helping him rise up the rankings, saying the Australian gave him a different perspective on tennis.

The Italian brought Cahill on board in June 2022 and he has overseen the 22-year-old’s elevation to number four in the world.

“There are many things,” Sinner said when asked what made Cahill special.

“He gives you a point of view not only tennis-wise but also the general view. I really like this. I love the company I have. We have a lot of fun.”

“If we would live 24/7 in a house all together, we could live so, so long because we make zero problems out of it,” he added.

“We enjoy our ride. That’s good for us.”

Cahill guided Lleyton Hewitt to become the then youngest men’s world number one and coached Andre Agassi.

He has also worked with Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Fernando Verdasco, and Simona Halep.

“It’s just the little things that make a big difference in a player’s career, and that’s kind of my role,” Cahill said recently.

Sinner enjoyed a breakthrough 2023, winning his first Masters title, in Toronto, and reaching the championship match against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals.

He also won titles in Montpellier, Vienna and Beijing last season, notching wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in the Chinese capital.

He said he was confident he could that momentum into the Australian Open as he targets a maiden Grand Slam title, despite opting out of warm-up tournaments.

“At the end of the year I played really good, I have still the confidence inside me, for sure,” he said.

Sinner opens his campaign in Melbourne against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

RADUCANU HOPES AUS OPEN CAN SPARK CAREER RESURGENCE

Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu says her level is “just too good not to come through” as she looks to get her career back on track at the Australian Open.

The British player stunned the tennis world when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021 as a qualifier but only on one other occasion has she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

The 21-year-old has plummeted to 299th in the world after an eight-month layoff with ankle and wrist injuries.

But she is confident that if she can achieve consistency, she can shoot up the rankings.

“Success to me in the long-term is, for the rest of the year, to play a full season, to be healthy throughout, to be able to train consistent weeks,” she said on Friday.

“I know my level is there, I just need to keep working on it to make it more consistent.

“I think that will come with time in the gym, time on court, being able to play the calendar, not thinking ‘Will I have to pull out from this one? Does that hurt?’ Just being able to go consistently throughout the year.

“I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”

Raducanu, who has been criticised for chopping and changing her coaching team, has reunited with childhood coach Nick Cavaday as she prepares for her opening match in Melbourne against American Shelby Rogers.

She was asked whether she would do things differently in the future.

“Reflecting on the past, I think people are very important, like the people who I surround myself with is maybe sometimes even more so,” she said.

“I think surrounding yourself with competent and knowledgeable people is of course really important, but also the type of person and their character is big-time, just making sure we really get on and intentions are really good.”