The Australian Open is poised to be a thrilling spectacle this year, with a plethora of intriguing storylines. Can Carlos Alcaraz achieve the elusive career Grand Slam at such a young age? Will Jannik Sinner successfully defend his title? And can Alexander Zverev finally break through and claim a major title after his impressive 2024 season? However, the most captivating narrative undoubtedly centers around Novak Djokovic‘s unexpected partnership with former rival Andy Murray. The Serbian announced their collaboration in November, and on Tuesday, fans were treated to the first glimpse of this intriguing duo on the practice court in Melbourne.

In his pursuit of a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and a 25th Grand Slam victory, Novak Djokovic made his first appearance at this year’s tournament on Margaret Court Arena. There, he engaged in a practice session, winning a 7-5 set against Carlos Alcaraz. Notably, Andy Murray, fresh off a family skiing trip, stood close by, offering guidance and insights to Djokovic.

Last week, without his new coach by his side, Djokovic, on his first appearance of the season, suffered a surprise quarterfinal loss to Reilly Opelka at the ATP 250 in Brisbane. Now, with Murray in his corner, the focus shifts to the 2025 Australian Open. It’s a fresh start after a challenging 2024 season for Djokovic, who went title-less but achieved a lifelong dream by winning Olympic gold in Paris.

This coaching stint is a first for Murray since retiring as a player. The former World No. 1, with three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic golds to his name, wrapped up his career after the Paris Summer Games last year. Now, he’s bringing his experience to Djokovic’s team, a surprising twist for two players who once battled as fierce rivals.

A few days ago, Djokovic shed light on his collaboration with Murray, “I love talking to him about the nuances, the details, how I can improve my game, how I can gain an inch, court positioning more comparing to my opponent, and every bit of percentage counts at the highest level.”

The Serbian emphasised his commitment to improvement: “I definitely am looking to improve every single shot that I have in my game, and maybe something that people don’t necessarily see is this court positioning, the transition play, the tactics.”

And while Djokovic’s sights are set on Melbourne, the past still lingers.

Novak Djokovic opens up about Australian Open ‘trauma’

Djokovic’s 2022 deportation followed a whirlwind series of events. He had initially been granted an exemption to play in the Australian Open despite strict COVID-19 vaccine rules. But upon arrival, his visa was canceled, and he was detained at an immigration hotel. A court briefly reinstated his visa before it was revoked again on “public interest” grounds, leading to his deportation. Reflecting on the incident, he admitted that the ordeal had left its mark.

“The last couple of times that I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration, I had a bit of trauma from three years ago,” he shared in a candid interview with Melbourne’s Herald Sun on January 6th. Even now, Djokovic feels uneasy when passing through passport control. “The person checking my passport—are they going to take me, detain me again, or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling,” he said.

In 2023, a change in government allowed Djokovic to return to Australia, where he claimed yet another Australian Open title-his 10th. Now, as he partners with Murray, the question is whether they can push through the past and create something extraordinary in the season ahead.