NEW DELHI: The Australian summer is gruelling, and tennis in the searing Melbourne heat is a survival of the fittest. As another season begins on the hard courts at the Australian Open on Sunday, the consistency of the ‘Big Two’—Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner—and the aura of Aryna Sabalenka stand out. Press conferences over the last two days reveal a clear pattern: despite the shrinking off-season, the top players are ready to go full tilt in skin-melting conditions. Sinner’s Melbourne outings have become synonymous with consistency, and lasting seven gruelling rounds over the next fortnight does not appear daunting for him. Alcaraz, arriving without long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, insists his support team remains intact and that the split was by mutual consent, making his approach to the new season one to watch. Lean, mean and menacing, Sinner peaks naturally at the majors and has learned to live with criticism, choosing silence as a response to social media trolls.
Amid talk of two youngsters almost owning the four Grand Slam titles, as seen in 2025, Novak Djokovic is not ready to give up. He knows a 25th Grand Slam would be like scaling Mount Everest, but he has done it before and insists retirement talk should be played down, even if best-of-five-set battles are a grind. On the women’s side, Sabalenka’s majestic presence, with her opening match on Sunday, underlines her stature, though Iga Swiatek remains a potent force. Adding intrigue is the return of 45-year-old Venus Williams, back at the Australian Open after five years. With no pressure and nothing to prove, the American is embracing competition again, her recent interviews and lead-up matches showing a desire to give her best, marked by flashes of vintage net play and powerful strokes.