Djokovic left little doubt that he would also be there trying to win major number 23.
A first-week choke by leading woman Sam Stosur and a grudging loss by ageing men's warrior Lleyton Hewitt has generally been the blueprint for the home players at the Australian Open, but teenage talent Nick Kyrgios may be poised to buck the trend of local underachievement.
Local hope Nick Kyrgios has been elevated to the Rod Laver Arena for his meeting with childhood hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open on Friday, when Melbourne Park is again expected to swelter.
Novak Djokovic's love affair with Melbourne continued on Saturday as he completed his preparations for his Australian Open final against Britain's Andy Murray.
This period saw big stars of the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev fade into the sunset while it was witness to the birth of slew of young Indian cricketers that made their mark home and abroad.
Serena Williams clinched a record 23rd grand slam title at the Australian Open on Saturday but spent most of the immediate aftermath talking about her older sister Venus.
The Sports Ministry slammed organisers of the Australian Open, saying they have wrongfully denied Indian tennis player Aman Dahiya an opportunity to compete in the junior Grand Slam by rejecting his application for vaccine exemption.
22-year-old Vikrant Rajesh Ratan, who had used all his savings to buy the car, said the vehicle was burnt on Saturday night. He said that two other cars, also belonging to Indians, that were parked next to his vehicle, were also damaged during the incident.
Nadal is bidding for his second title in his 15th appearance at Melbourne Park
An Australian Open electrified by the revivals of seasoned champions will bathe in the warm glow of nostalgia on Saturday when the Williams sisters contest the women's final at Rod Laver Arena.
Time is running out for Serena to reach the career milestone that has become one of the sport's longest running storylines.
One of the first orders of business for Stanislas Wawrinka on his return to Melbourne Park last week was to see the photo of himself holding the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the 'Walk of Champions' under the Rod Laver Arena centre court.
That was the lesser of two disappointments for the Belarusian on Thursday, as Azarenka's bid for a third title at Melbourne Park ended with some regret at her missed chances against 22nd seed Rybakina.
Images from all the action on Day 5 of the Australian Open
Australian Open champion Rafa Nadal said he would love to finish his career with more Grand Slam titles than rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic but thinks he will have to secure more than 21 to do so.
Russian and Belarusian flags have been banned from the Melbourne Park precinct during the Australian Open after a complaint from the Ukraine ambassador to the country.
Daniil Medvedev was fined for an outburst against the umpire
Serena Williams expects her sister Venus to be back at Melbourne Park next year for a 17th crack at winning the Australian Open, the American world number one said.
When you are defending to save a game, a loose delivery comes along and you suddenly opt to play an attacking shot, you are unlikely to hit as well as if you were playing your naturally aggressive game all along. First Pant, then Jaiswal, found that out the costly way, observes Prem Panicker.
Petra Kvitova takes on Naomi Osaka in Saturday's Australian Open final with one of them set to emerge as a fresh champion at Melbourne Park as well as the new world number one.
Organisers of this year's US and French Opens established bio-secure 'bubbles' for players, who were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms except to train and play.
Photos from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time on Monday
Nightmares loom for players dreaming of Grand Slam success if they have the misfortune of running into bespectacled bogeyman Chung Hyeon in coming years, according to his coach Neville Godwin.
The six-time champion's agent said he will continue to work his way back to fitness from two knee operations.
Images from Day 10 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The Russian, twice a losing finalist at Melbourne Park, went toe-to-toe with the big Pole for almost four energy-sapping hours on Rod Laver Arena
Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic won his third-straight Australian Open crown, his ninth in total.
Former world number one Venus Williams produced a vintage display to outclass Netherlands' Arantxa Rus in straight sets and storm into the second round of the Yarra Valley Classic.
Images from the Australian Open matches played on Tuesday.
Malaika Arora Khan leads 1,200 people to a record.
A break-out 2014 season and a career-high ranking of five has added extra weight to Kei Nishikori's shoulders, with the US Open finalist already bearing the burden of huge expectations in his home country Japan.
Images from Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 7 of the Wimbledon Championships, at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, on Sunday.
Spain's Rafael Nadal was at his dominant best against Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday, brushing aside his compatriot 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to move into the fourth round at the Australian Open. Images from Day 6 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her partner Lucie Safarova won their first Grand Slam women's doubles title
The Serbian champion said he hoped the focus would now return to tennis
Roger Federer will not warm up for the Australian Open at this week's Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, prompting organisers to target Briton Andy Murray for the vacant eighth spot in the invitational field.
List of leading men's grand slam singles title winners after Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
Tsitsipas was philosophical in defeat.
