Gauff through, Auger-Aliassime retires as Djokovic begins record questListen to this articleCoco Gauff celebrates after defeating Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova at the Australian Open. (Photo: AFP)MELBOURNE — Erratic title contender Coco Gauff battled into the Australian Open second round Monday ahead of a defiant Novak Djokovic launching his latest bid to win a record 25th Grand Slam crown at Melbourne Park. A former world number one, now ranked four, Djokovic is the undisputed king of Melbourne's hard courts, having won a record 10 Australian Open crowns. With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now dominant, Djokovic's last Grand Slam victory came at the US Open in 2023. Other notables in action include the 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, who was handed a wildcard aged 40 in his last Australian Open before retirement.

Source: Bangkok Post January 19, 2026 06:02 UTC