Novak Djokovic to kick off new tennis season at Brisbane International ahead of Australian Open

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Novak Djokovic will open the new tennis season at the Brisbane International tournament, a warmup event for the Australian Open.

“I’m excited to be kicking off my Australian swing at the Brisbane International and to compete again at Pat Rafter Arena,” Djokovic, who will be seeking his 100th tour-level title, said.

It will be only the second time the Djokovic plays at the event, having lost to Ernests Gulbis in the first round in 2009.

The tournament is scheduled for Dec 29 – Jan 5 with Grigor Dimitrov, Holger Rune, Frances Tiafoe and Nick Kyrgios also set to compete.

Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history.

He announced last month he hired Andy Murray as his coach to work together at the Australian Open, a Grand Slam event he won record 10 times,

The Australian Open starts on Jan 12.

The 37-year-old Djokovic won only one tournament in 2024, claiming his first Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games in August.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis