Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic are three of the best men’s players at the moment, and they are the top contenders at any tournament they play. Still, their decision to arrive at the 2026 Australian Open without playing a tour match in the new season might surprise many.
World No. 4 Djokovic’s last match came at the ATP 250 Hellenic Championship, as he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final, despite losing the first set. The Serb withdrew from the ATP Finals, citing a leg injury. The top two players, Alcaraz and Sinner, last played in the title clash of the year-end championship, with the Italian winning in straight sets.
José Morón, the Director of Punto de Break, recently pointed out that Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic are the only top-ranked players who will enter the Australian Open without playing a tour match this season. Other players have opted for one of the United Cup, Brisbane International, Hong Kong Open, Adelaide International, and ASB Classic.
“Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic are the only top-ranked players worldwide who will arrive at the 2026 Australian Open without having played a single official match beforehand. We’ll see if they don’t end up being the ones who go the furthest in Melbourne,” José wrote on X on Tuesday.
Alcaraz, Sinner y Djokovic son los únicos jugadores del Top mundial que llegarán el Open de Australia sin jugar ni un solo partido oficial previamente en este 2026.
Veremos si no terminan siendo los que más lejos llegan en Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/QUu3XLBVNo
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) January 6, 2026
While Djokovic withdrew from the Adelaide International due to physical issues, Alcaraz and Sinner are set to play an exhibition match in Incheon, South Korea, on Saturday, Jan. 10.
Former Player Believes Lorenzo Musetti is Better Than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Lorenzo Musetti has been consistently improving and rising in the ATP rankings. He broke into the top 10 in May 2025 and achieved his career-high ranking of No. 6 in June after making the French Open semifinals. The 23-year-old finished his 2025 campaign with a 45-22 record, though he did not win a title.
Former Italian player and coach Renzo Furlan recently tipped Musetti to challenge the dominating pair of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2026.
“On clay, Lorenzo has only lost to Alcaraz and [Jack] Draper. His 2025 season was excellent, and in 2026, he can aspire to be No. 3 in the world because, paradoxically, he plays better than Sinner and Alcaraz. The quality and potential are there, but winning a Grand Slam depends on many circumstances,” Furlan told Italian outlet Nord Est (via Mirror).
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