'Hopefully not this year' - Big Three aim to keep young challengers at bay

vak Djokovic mits next generation of players are edging closer, but tennis's Big Three remain one step ahe as y aim to extend ir dominance at Australian Open. Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nal have kept a tight grip on Majors over past dece, with Serb and Swiss particularly prolific at year's opening Grand Slam.

Between m, y have won 13 of last 16 tournaments at Melbourne Park. This year, defending champion Djokovic is gunning for his eighth crown and Federer his seventh, having last lifted trophy in 2018.

ding spice is prospect of Nal breaking through for only his second win in Melbourne to equal 38-year-old Federer's all-time record of 20 Grand Slam wins. All players may also have to deal with hazy conditions caused by Australia's raging bushfires after practice was suspended on Tuesday when air pollution soared to hazardous levels.

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'Australian Open has been my favourite tournament': Djokovic

"Obviously Australian Open has been my favourite tournament. It's tournament where I've played my best tennis," said Djokovic, who is coming off six straight wins during Serbia's victory at ATP Cup.

"You have obviously Federer, Nal, myself because of experience and everything and rankings, that we get to be probably named top three favourites. But n you have (Daniil) Medvedev, (Stefas) Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem that are really showing some amazing tennis," he ded. "So everybody keeps on talking about NextGen player winning a Slam. You kw, it seems like it's getting closer. Hopefully t this year. We'll see." 

As well as Medvedev, Tsitsipas, and Thiem, Spanish world number 10 Roberto Bautista Agut, who me Wimbledon semi-finals last year, and Canian young gun Denis Shapovalov could also be in mix. Grigor Dimitrov, once nicknamed 'Baby Fed' for his elegant style, is also playing well as he pursues his comeback from an injury-hit 2019.

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'Huge step forward' 

Federer's last Slam win was in Melbourne in 2018 and he lost to Tsitsipas in fourth round last year, but despite his , one will be underestimating a man who has contested 31 major finals. Swiss star won four titles last year -- he has claimed 103 in total -- and shows sign of losing his competitive edge.

"Both guys (Djokovic, Nal) when y are injury-free y are always tough to beat," Federer said this week while minating Tsitsipas as ar potential threat. "I think win from Tsitsipas at World Tour finals (in vember) was a big one. That was a huge step forward after he beat me here (Melbourne) last year. He h a great run here. Medvedev has obviously h a great run. Shapovalov is a very exciting player as well." 

With Alexander Zverev struggling for form and Australia's Nick Kyrgios prone to losing his cool, Greek star Tsitsipas is shaping as perhaps most likely to trouble big guns. He me semi-finals in Melbourne last year before falling to Nal and h a big breakthrough at ATP Finals where he beat Thiem in decider.

"I feel good. re's thing I'm worrying right w. I feel good with my game, with my physical side," Tsitsipas said. " only thing that might concern me a little bit is when I come close to matches I feel like I've lost this competitiveness within me." So far, only table injury casualties among men are Japan's Kei Nishikori and former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, with Australian number one Alex de Minaur nursing an abdominal strain.

Australian Open officials have air-quality experts on-site to monitor pollution, with umpires able to halt matches if conditions deteriorate. However, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has expressed confidence that tournament will go ahe on schedule. 

(Im Courtesy: AP)

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