Jannik Sinner's ambition to win three consecutive hard-court Grand Slams in a row begins with Monday's Australian Open first-round contest with Nicolas Jarry at Rod Laver Arena.
The defending champion returns to the venue of his maiden Slam success 12 months ago, keen to avoid a shock exit in his third tour meeting with his Chilean opponent.
Match preview
© Imago
Days after learning of his hearing date for a possible two-year ban from the sport, Sinner begins his defence of his Australian Open title against Jarry, looking to extend his winning streak Down Under.
The Italian star clinched last year's event to win his first Slam at Daniil Medvedev's expense and could extend his sequence of victories to eight matches by defeating his first-round opponent.
Sinner was the most impressive hard-court player in 2024, losing three times on the surface last season to secure the Australian Open and US Open, either side of friendly rival Carlos Alcaraz claiming the French Open and successfully defending his Wimbledon title.
Both men are on opposite sides of the draw, with observers hoping for another mouthwatering clash between this era's top talents.
However, Sinner cannot look that far ahead as he enters the opening major of the year in the unknown territory of never having defended a Grand Slam title before.
© Imago
Although it remains to be seen if that pressure affects the top seed Down Under, Jarry hopes to exploit any frailty in the world No. one, who returns to competitive action on Monday.
The Chilean might have been beaten in the pair's previous meeting in Beijing last year, but he forced Sinner to a deciding set after claiming the opening set in that tournament's first-round match.
The world No. 34 will aim to repeat his strong start, as he did at the China Open, and sustain it this time to withstand the top seed's response if the 29-year-old is fast out of the blocks.
Having come into the first major of 2025 with the slight advantage of competitive action — the Chilean player reached the quarter-finals in Brisbane — Jarry will hope to take advantage of any rustiness on the opposite side of the court.
However, history Down Under does not stand the world No. 34 in good stead: Jarry has suffered three tournament-opening losses in his four main draw appearances and enters Monday as the undoubted underdog against the leading player on the men's tour.
Head To Head
Beijing (2024) - Round of 32: Sinner 4-6 6-3 6-1
's-Hertogenbosch (2019) - Round of 32: Jarry 7-6(4) 6-3
Jarry won his first meeting with Sinner on the ATP Tour, but the Italian levelled their head-to-head record in last year's first-round contest in Beijing.
Sinner came through qualifying in that grass-court event in 2019, highlighting how much has changed in the six years since losing to the Chilean.
The world No. 34 secured three top-10 victories last year — surpassing his achievements in previous years on tour — and is searching for his 11th overall success over elite players.
We say: Sinner to win in four sets
Jarry has taken a set in his previous meetings with Sinner, and he will back himself to exploit any rustiness from the Italian on Monday.
However, the top seed is expected to avoid a shock on his return to Rod Laver Arena to notch his eighth victory on the trot Down Under.
