Djokovic has been placed in a challenging section at the 2026 Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic is anticipated to encounter numerous difficulties as he aims to secure his 25th Grand Slam victory.

On the morning of January 15th, Vietnam time, the draw ceremony for the first Grand Slam of the year, the 2026 Australian Open, took place. Novak Djokovic ended up in a rather tough section, which promises to demand considerable effort from Nole in the later stages.

The first three rounds do not present many formidable challenges for Djokovic. In his opening match, he will face Pedro Martinez - a player who is primarily skilled on clay courts. Next, the Grand Slam record holder is likely to face Terence Atmane - a rising star who made a dream run at the 2025 Cincinnati Open.

Atmane’s strengths lie in his powerful and spin-heavy serves and forehands (left-handed), but his consistency is still lacking, making it difficult for him to upset a seasoned player like Nole.

In round 3, Djokovic will face the Vietnamese-American player Brandon Nakashima or the young Chinese talent Shang Juncheng - both of whom remain within Nole’s control.

From round 4 onwards, Djokovic will face significantly harder tests. Potential opponents for the 38-year-old in the round of 16 include Jakub Mensik - who defeated him in the Miami Open final last year; Hubert Hurkacz - who has recently returned to top form at the United Cup, or Tallon Griekspoor - a player known for his strong serve and fast, aggressive style, often performing well against higher-ranked opponents.

Many obstacles await Nole in the quarterfinals: Lorenzo Musetti, Grigor Dimitrov, Tomas Machac, Stefanos Tsitsipas and especially Taylor Fritz. The biggest challenge on the road to the final for the Grand Slam record holder is Jannik Sinner - a player he has not beaten since the ATP Finals at the end of 2023.

Overall, if Djokovic plays at his best, he should comfortably get through the first 3-4 rounds before likely breaking a sweat starting from the quarterfinals.

In the 2025 season, Nole defeated the top contender Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16 to reach the semifinals. However, in this crucial match, the ten-time Australian Open champion suffered an injury and had to retire after losing the first set to Alexander Zverev.

Djokovic will need to efficiently dispatch his early opponents and conserve as much energy as possible for the critical rounds if he hopes to claim his 25th Grand Slam title.