Why Novak Djokovic will start as the favorite for Australian Open 2020

The Australian Open begins in less than five weeks from now, on the 14th of January 2020. All the players will be gearing up for the first Grand Slam of the year, but the ‘Big 3’ will once again be the men to watch out for - with the ‘NextGen’ hopefuls breathing down their necks.

The results of the Australian Open in the last 10 years are particularly eye-opening, showing just how much the top players have dominated men's tennis lately. Out of the last 10 Australian Open events, as many as nine of them have been won by either Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.

Djokovic has won it six times, Federer thrice, while Stan Wawrinka has won the title once in the last decade. The year's first Major is clearly the preserve of Djokovic and Federer.

For the last three years (2017 to 2019), all the Grand Slams have been swept by the Big 3: Federer has won three Grand Slam titles, Nadal has won five and Djokovic four. The oligopoly of these three immortals continues unabated at the Grand Slams, and 2020 might well pan out the same way.

That said, many believe Djokovic will have the edge over his two rivals at the 2020 Australian Open. And there are plenty of reasons for that.

In 2019, the Serb once again looked imperious Down Under. He thrashed Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final, showing us for the first time that even a fighter like Nadal can look absolutely clueless in a Grand Slam final. Djokovic reduced the match to a no-contest, belting the Spaniard 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

At Wimbledon, Djokovic played the summit clash against the 38-year-old Federer. Though the Swiss provided several moments of magic in the match, Djokovic held his nerve and won the marathon 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12.

Two Grand Slam final wins against two of his top rivals stands Djokovic in good stead going into the 2020 Australian Open.

Nadal last won the Australian Open way back in the year 2009

Nadal meanwhile continued his merry march to his 12th Roland Garros title. It has almost become customary for the French Open trophy to have Nadal’s name written on it even before the event begins. No man has dominated a single Grand Slam the way Nadal has dominated the French Open, and probably no man ever will. Nadal also won the US Open title, defeating Daniil Medvedev in a hard-fought final to lift his 19th Grand Slam title.

But the last time Nadal triumphed at the Australian Open was way back in the year 2009. It would be a gargantuan task for the Spaniard to reach the summit this time, as the Australian Open has not been kind to him lately. Having faced defeat to his rivals Federer and Djokovic every time he has made the final at the Australian Open this decade, the chances of Nadal lifting the trophy are not that high.

Federer, on the other hand, had a mixed 2019. He was knocked out of the Australian Open in the fourth round by Stefanos Tsitsipas, and was thrashed in the French Open semi-finals by his long-time nemesis Nadal. At Wimbledon Federer returned to his regal self, but failed to snatch the crucial moments and went down to Djokovic in an epic final.

At the US Open, Federer was downed in a five-setter by Grigor Dimitrov at the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.

Federer has not beaten Djokovic in a single Grand Slam final this decade

Whenever Federer has faced Djokovic in a Grand Slam final this decade, he has tasted defeat. Federer has battled Djokovic four times this decade in a Slam final, and all four times he has been downed by the relentless Serb.

Djokovic holds the upper hand in the head-to-head rivalry against two of his biggest rivals. Also, he has owned the Australian Open this decade, winning it six out of 10 times.

Arriving once again as the defending champion, Djokovic will start as the favorite at the Australian Open in five weeks' time.