Australian Open LIVE: Andy Murray makes sad comment amid fears Rafa Nadal to miss Slam
The 2024 tennis season is very much underway and the countdown to the opening Grand Slam has begun too. The Australian Open begins on Sunday 14th with there hopes that Rafael Nadal will make a long-awaited return to Grand Slam tennis, with Briton Emma Raducanu among the other players who have been away from the court for months.
Novak Djokovic is likely to be the man to beat provided the Serb’s own injury scare is not serious. He suffered a first defeat in Australia since 2018 at a warm-up tournament in Brisbane.
But 24-time Slam winner Djokovic has won four of the last five Opens – only missing out in 2022 because he was banned from entering the country due to not having a Covid jab.
Iga Swiatek is the strong women’s favourite after winning the French Open last year. The Pole has never triumphed in Australia but last season went on a 37-match winning streak – the longest such run in the WTA for 25 years.
