Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge thinks Novak Djokovic will benefit from competing at the Adelaide International and added the Serb is his top favorite for the Australian Open title. At the start of the 2022 season, Djokovic experienced the most difficult moment of his tennis career as he was deported from Australia and denied participation at the Australian Open.
Recently, the Australian government informed Djokovic’s team that he is free to return to Australia in 2023. It didn’t take long for Djokovic to make his schedule for January as he intends to compete at the Adelaide International before going to Melbourne.
Djokovic is a record nine-time Australian Open champion and Woodbridge expects to see a heavily motivated Serb at Melbourne Park.
Woodbridge on Djokovic’s Australian Open chances
“Good news is that he will be playing at the Adelaide International so he will be in Australia for a few weeks before the Open starts.
That will give him time to get all the stress and tension of last year out. There will be pressure from the media but he has dealt with it very well. He is coming back to a country he loves playing in. He has won the Open nine times.
He loves the surface, the atmosphere. I think he will be very driven to win here. Because he was not allowed to play here last time, that will be added motivation. Also Rafa (Nadal) won when Novak was not allowed to play. That too will be on his mind when he tries to reach the record of most number of grand slams won.
He has the quality to be the No.1 even now and perhaps he would have been had he played the full season. That was his choice not to, but he has not lost the form or quality. He should be comfortable here,” Woodbridge said, per The Telegraph India.
Djokovic won three consecutive Australian Open titles before being denied participation at the 2022 Australian Open. It will be interesting to see if Djokovic can enjoy a triumphant return to the Australian Open.
