Shang Juncheng is aiming to "do something big in the future" after becoming the first male Chinese player to win a main draw match at the Australian Open.

The 17-year-old – who is also the youngest participant in the men's draw – beat Oscar Otte 6-2 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 to advance to the second round on Monday.

Shang will play number 16 seed Frances Tiafoe next, and after his win acknowledged what a big moment it is for men's tennis in China.

"I think it's huge for Chinese men's tennis," he told reporters. "We have had really good players from the women's side but not really big names in the men's, so I think we are very lucky that I'm part of it, and I'm very lucky that I'm part of this team. Hopefully we can do something big in the future."

On why it has taken so long for a man from his country to find success at the tournament, Shang – who also likes to go by the name Jerry – said: "It's a complicated thing. I'm not quite sure how to answer that, but I think physically it's a big step for us in the men's tennis.

"But I think we're on the right track now. Hopefully we can do a better job in the slams, in the three-out-of-five sets, hopefully that can happen in the future."

Shang named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as his three main inspirations, citing their passion for tennis and "amazing personalities".

The world number 194 impressed against Otte, hitting 53 winners and not dropping his serve at any point, saving the only two break points he faced while taking nine of 13 break points he forced against his German opponent.

Rafael Nadal says winning matches is the perfect cure to his injury problems after kicking off his Australian Open title defence with victory in four sets against Jack Draper.

Top seed Nadal's class told on Rod Laver Arena in a match lasting three hours and 43 minutes as he prevailed 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 to reach the second round for the 17th time.

The 36-year-old was competing for just the eighth time since September's US Open, with Monday's victory over Draper his first of 2022.

Not only has Nadal spent time recuperating from injuries, he is also adapting after becoming a father for the first time in October.

However, in his first grand slam since the birth of his child, Nadal says simply winning trophies is providing him with all the motivation he needs.

"I am enjoying life having a new member in the family," he told reporters. "I've always loved kids. To be able to enjoy this new moment in my life is something beautiful.

"But in terms of competitive feelings or motivation, it doesn't create any impact. It'd only create a negative impact if I was here a month, and they were not able to be with me. 

"You don't know how you're going to react, you know? I've always been very respectful with the changes in life. You don't know how you're going to adapt. 

"I don't know my feeling if the baby's not here with me for one month. I don't know if after three weeks I miss him, and I'll lose a little bit the focus.

"I have always been excited enough to play every single tournament. My approach to the competition is not changing much being a dad or not."

Nadal has now lost only one of his 18 matches at this stage of the Australian Open, with that defeat coming at the hands of Fernando Verdasco in 2016.

The record 22-time major winner did not have it all his own way against Draper, who appeared to be heavily affected by cramp later in the match.

He was not always at his confident best and made some uncharacteristic errors to allow his British opponent back into the match, but he ultimately got the job done.

"I am ready to keep fighting," Nadal said of his recent injury issues. "Victories help. When you win matches, you are more relaxed and you are more confident.

"I needed a victory, so that's the main thing. It doesn't matter the way it happens. The most important thing today is a victory against a tough opponent."

Draper levelled up the match at 1-1 and in the process became one of only 12 players to have taken a set off Nadal at this stage of a grand slam.

"As I said before the tournament started, this was one of the toughest first rounds possible being seeded," Nadal said.

"To win against Jack, I needed to do things well. I think I did things well. So I'm satisfied with the victory because that's give me the chance to play again in a couple of days.

"I accepted the mistakes I made. I was humble enough to accept that there was going to be a little bit of ups and downs during the match. 

"This is typical when you're not in a winning mood. When you lose more, when you are not competing every week, that's the case. I accept these mistakes and keep going."

Nadal will now face Mackenzie McDonald in the last 64 after the American beat compatriot Brandon Nakashima in a five-set thriller.

Rafael Nadal secured his first win of the year as he began the defence of his Australian Open title by beating Jack Draper 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1.

The number one seed did not have it all his own way against the Briton, but ultimately the class and fitness of the 36-year-old made the difference as Draper – 15 years Nadal's junior – appeared to be heavily affected by cramp later in the match.

Nadal had lost six of his last seven tour-level matches coming in, but gained the advantage after he managed to break at 6-5 up in an even first set against the big-serving Draper.

Draper fought back emphatically as he raced into a 4-0 lead in the second, seeing it out comfortably to level up at 1-1, but he appeared to start cramping just two games into the third set.

Nadal took advantage and went 4-1 ahead, but the Spaniard did not always seem at his confident best himself as some uncharacteristic errors allowed his opponent back in, with Draper breaking back and managing to get to 4-4.

Nadal was able to break again to take the set 6-4, and despite Draper breaking serve in the opening game of the fourth, that was his last success of the match as the 21-year-old's legs clearly started to affect his movement and serve, with Nadal finding it simple enough to close out the win.

Data slam: Nadal matches Lendl for career wins

This was the 1,068th win of Nadal's career, bringing him level with Ivan Lendl.

The 22-time grand slam winner is now tied for third most victories in the Open Era, behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274) and Roger Federer (1,251).

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS

Nadal – 41/46

Draper – 35/46

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS

Nadal – 6/3

Draper – 13/3

BREAK POINTS WON

Nadal – 6/12

Draper – 4/11

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios has been left "devastated" by a knee injury that forced him to withdraw from his home grand slam, the Australian Open, on Monday.

The Australian 19th seed was due to face Roman Safiullin on Tuesday but opted out on Monday. He will be replaced by lucky loser Denis Kudla.

Kyrgios had undergone a routine MRI on his knee which revealed a cyst as a result of a small lateral meniscus tear, forcing him out of the opening major of the year. The 27-year-old will undergo an arthroscopic surgery to heal the knee injury.

"Bad timing. Injuries are part of the sport," Kyrgios told reporters. "I'm devastated obviously, it's my home slam.

"It's pretty brutal. One of the most important tournaments of my career, so it hasn’t been easy at all."

Kyrgios, who pulled out of the United Cup late last month citing exhaustion, had played Novak Djokovic in an exhibition match on Friday.

The Australian started to feel some discomfort in his knee during that match, before making the decision to pull out on Monday.

"I wanted to give myself hope, I thought I had a chance," he said.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist had been placed in the same section of the draw as nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic along with Andrey Rublev and Holger Rune.

Kyrgios was the highest-ranked local player in the men's and women's singles draws, with 22nd seed Alex de Minaur the next best Australian hope.

Reigning women's singles champion Ash Barty retired last year, while compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic, ranked 35th in the world, withdrew due to an ongoing knee issue on the weekend.

Nick Kyrgios is delighted to see tennis "on the map again" following the launch of the 'Break Point' documentary.

The Australian is one of a number of ATP and WTA players to feature in the Netflix series, which was made available on Friday.

Kyrgios gets his Australian Open campaign underway this week against Roman Safiullin, and expressed his excitement about the future of the sport.

"[The documentary is a] massive opportunity for my brand to get out there," Kyrgios told the ATP Tour website. "It's just so important for tennis. I think we've got so many great personalities, so many young personalities, and so many colourful athletes.

"Frances [Tiafoe], [Carlos] Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, these guys are great tennis players and great people as well.

"I think when the big three settle down and end up retiring, it's so important that these guys are on showcase globally.

"Tennis is one of the most global sports in the world. We need it to be successful."

Kyrgios won the doubles at the Australian Open last year with Thanasi Kokkinakis, before reaching the singles final at Wimbledon in what was a productive season for the 27-year-old.

"I'm definitely a fun kid who grew up in a very quiet sort of town with my family. It's obviously pretty cool to see how far I've come," Kyrgios added.

"But I think the later episodes as well, following me around Wimbledon, that type of stuff, will be super exciting.

"I'm just glad that tennis is on the map again. I think it's one of the main talking points, one of the biggest sports right now, obviously with the Netflix documentary dropping."

Vasek Pospisil has backed Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open a year after the Serbian was unable to compete.

Djokovic was denied a place in last year's tournament when his refusal to have a COVID-19 vaccine led to him being detained in a Melbourne immigration centre and later deported.

With vaccination status no longer a condition of entry to the country, the nine-time Australian Open champion is back for this year's tournament, which begins on Monday.

Djokovic played doubles with Pospisil in his first match back in Australia earlier this month at the Adelaide International 1, and speaking to Stats Perform, the Canadian tipped his close friend to go all the way in Melbourne.

"I hope he wins it. I would consider him the favourite, absolutely," Pospisil said. "If you have to pick a favourite, it's hard to pick someone else.

"Having said that, obviously there are so many great players and incredible talents put together for one week, anything can happen, right? That's sport, but I would definitely put him as the favourite and if I had a choice if someone's winning other than myself, obviously, I would put him as the hopeful for the title.

"Also, given he had a tough, tough year obviously with what happened in the past."

Pospisil denied that the frustration of missing out last year would be a factor in Djokovic's motivation to do well this time, though.

"I think he's so motivated already with his ambitions in the sport and just in life in general," he added. "He's obviously a very driven individual, which is not something you need to hear from me to know, you can see that. I don't think it will necessarily be extra motivation.

"I feel like every time he's playing a grand slam, he's maximumly motivated. I do think he's going to have a great year and I don't think that anything that happened recently will affect him in a negative way.

"I think he showed that with how he played at Wimbledon last year [beating Nick Kyrgios in the final] just speaks volumes of his character and how strong he is an as an individual. It's very, very impressive that he was able to bounce back like that."

Pospisil, ranked 94th in the world, is also confident about his own prospects at the Australian Open, saying: "I'm actually feeling good. I had a really strong finish last year.

"The last couple of months, I took a bit [of time] coming back from an injury, so it took a bit to kind of get rolling, but I'm entering with confidence, getting my ranking back up slowly and had a really good preparation. [I am] training really hard, eating well and I feel like I'm ready to go."

The 32-year-old has been drawn against countryman Felix Auger Aliassime in the first round and appreciates the task at hand against the number six seed, who won three of his four ATP titles in 2022 in October before winning the Davis Cup alongside Pospisil in November.

"I would say arguably he was the most in-form player at the end of last year," Pospisil said. "Four or five tournaments in a row and beat the top players in the world. So obviously, extremely talented young player, very physical.

"I know his game quite well. I mean, I've known him for many years. He's a fellow Canadian and Davis Cup team-mate.

"I have a lot of confidence in my abilities, so I feel like if I'm playing well, then I can beat anybody on any given day. It's going to be a tough ask just because he's playing so well these days."

Welcome to the weird world of pandemic era men's tennis, where the world number five is unmistakably the man to beat.

Novak Djokovic sits head and shoulders above the rest for now, and those ranked higher would surely recognise that too, as the Australian Open arrives.

The 35-year-old Djokovic is playing the tennis of a 25-year-old, and being allowed his liberty after arriving in Australia is good news for him, auspicious for the rest of the Melbourne Park field.

Djokovic was being packed off on a flight out of the country around this time last year, after a saga that made minor international celebrities out of local journalists who could interpret the ins and outs of court proceedings.

He remains unvaccinated against COVID-19 as far as is known, but Australia has relaxed its border controls and rolled out the red carpet for Djokovic this time, rather than arrange for him to be detained.

Had he been allowed to play in Australia and North America last season, Djokovic would surely have remained on the top rung of the rankings ladder.

Over the coming fortnight, Djokovic will chase down a 10th Australian Open title and a record-equalling 22nd men's singles major.

What might stop him reaching those goals? Stats Perform has looked at areas where there might be a crumb of hope for his rivals.

Frosty reception?

There might be the odd jeer. He has never been universally popular and he has, through his vaccination choices, seemingly given those that disliked him anyway another stick to beat him with.

But look, if you think crowd pressure is going to get to Novak Djokovic, you haven't watched enough Novak Djokovic. Move on.

Besides, his 'Nole' army is sure to mobilise in Melbourne. He won't be found wanting for support.

Weight of expectation

The greats in sport rarely get flustered, but perhaps these are the moments, as history approaches, when even a model of focus such as Djokovic might miss a step.

You can look at the 2021 US Open final, when Djokovic was chasing a rare Grand Slam of all four majors in the calendar year, only to lose in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev in the Flushing Meadows final.

He would have gone to 21 slams with that win, too, edging ahead of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer with whom he was locked on 20 majors. Instead he was flat, out of gas. The greats do have bad days, but they're rare.

Nadal got the jump on both Djokovic and Federer by winning the Australian and French titles last year to unexpectedly surge to 22 slams, before Djokovic took Wimbledon to narrow the gap and Federer retired to make it a two-man race.

Djokovic has won four of his five finals since Wimbledon, with the exception being a surprising loss to Holger Rune at the Paris Masters.

If he loses, it might have to be early, while still relatively cold. Djokovic has a 100 per cent strike rate once he reaches the semi-finals in Melbourne, never failing to take the title once he reaches the final four.

The #NextGen stars

Who are we looking at here, now we know Carlos Alcaraz is going to be absent? The world number one's hamstring blow has only boosted Djokovic's title chances, while removing the tantalising prospect of a first grand slam match-up between the pair. To date, they have only played once, with Alcaraz winning a tight contest on clay in Madrid last season.

In fact, who even is #NextGen? Stefanos Tsitsipas has been around forever, it feels, but is just 24, the same age as Casper Ruud, who is very much on the rise after two slam finals last season. World number three Ruud is just about #NextGen, but fourth-ranked Tsitsipas probably isn't. His slam results have tailed off, and it would be a significant surprise if the Greek made it to the final from the top half of the draw. He has done well in Australia over the years though, with semi-final runs in three of the last four seasons.

Norwegian Ruud is a potential semi-final opponent for Djokovic, and that could deliver drama. Felix Auger-Aliassime is on the other side of the draw and won four titles last year, yet all were relative tiddlers, while it might be too soon for Rune to win over five sets against an all-time great, but he is a possible quarter-final foe for Djokovic.

So is a certain other player, who long left behind the #NextGen ranks...

Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios versus Rune in the third round is a lip-smacking prospect. And if that happens and Kyrgios comes through it, despite having not played on tour yet this year, the prospect of a quarter-final against Djokovic would likely loom large.

Tennis being tennis, strange things can happen, but given his kind draw it is hard to see anyone beating Djokovic before the quarter-final stage. Should it be Kyrgios waiting for him at that point, it will be popcorn at the ready.

Last year's Wimbledon final was decided by a fourth-set tie-break, rather than what would have been a dishy fifth set, and Djokovic would again fancy getting the better ot the bellicose but hyper-talented Australian.

Yet Kyrgios has beaten Djokovic twice in their three career meetings, so this is potentially the real landmine on the path to the final. If someone can defuse Kyrgios in the early rounds, Djokovic would have no complaints whatsoever.

Djokovic's own body might fail him

Djokovic abandoned a practice session in Melbourne out of caution over a hamstring issue, but by Friday he was fit enough to face Kyrgios in an exhibition on Rod Laver Arena.

Had he held any serious fitness worries, he surely would have given that a swerve. Showing up sent a message to the field.

This is not to say Djokovic's health will hold and his body will last the distance, but then the same is true of everyone in the draw. This is tennis at the highest level and Djokovic has fought his way to grand slam titles while carrying injury worries in the past, and you suspect he will again, probably as soon as Sunday, January 29.

The Professional Tennis Players Association is committed to equal pay for men and women at grand slam level, according to the man who teamed up with Novak Djokovic to launch the organisation.

Vasek Pospisil, whose on-court doubles efforts helped Canada win the Davis Cup for the first time in November, said the PTPA would "fight for both sides" in its efforts to improve players' prospects throughout the sport.

The breakaway union has caused controversy, with the ATP and WTA, which run the men's and women's tours, adamant they already have significant player representation when it comes to making decisions in the best interests of tennis.

Djokovic quit as president of the ATP player council to become the figurehead of the PTPA, which was launched at the height of the pandemic during the 2020 US Open.

There was initial criticism of the PTPA when no women appeared to be involved.

However, Pospisil said at the time discussions were ongoing, and ahead of the upcoming Australian Open, its first executive committee was unveiled, consisting of four men and four women.

Joining Djokovic and Pospisil are Hubert Hurkacz and John Isner, plus WTA players Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Zheng Saisai.

Pay has been equal at all the grand slams since 2007, when Wimbledon announced it would reward women the same amount it pays men.

Asked about equal pay at the four majors and the PTPA's position, Pospisil told Stats Perform: "From day one, we always knew that this would only be successful with the women, and that has always been our goal. And so we're really happy that we're gaining a lot of traction now on the women's side.

"Currently, there is equal pay at the grand slam level, I believe, so that's obviously amazing.

"It is a joint organisation, both men and women, and we'll do everything to fight for both sides.

"Obviously, they're separate tours. The WTA, ATP, and grand slams are joined, of course. So, the staff will have their hands full with trying to advocate for both sides.

"It's a unified player association for both men and women, and we're really proud of that and where we're going."

Those already involved, and those the PTPA will hope to attract, are being advised the union is aiming to bolster the rights – and at the bottom line, the earning potential – of all involved.

There is currently significantly more money on offer on the ATP tour than on the WTA circuit, which points to issues of inequality remaining in the sport.

It has been known in recent times for some high-profile tournaments, where tours converge, to pay its men's champion more than its title-winning woman. This is despite events on both tours being best-of-three-set matches, whereas in the slams women play best-of-three and men play best-of-five, a matter that has long been a trigger for equal-pay debate.

Pospisil believes the WTA has a "smart and passionate" group of eight on its ExCo and said the "energy was amazing" when the group met for dinner on Thursday in Melbourne.

"I just have such a good feeling after a few years of working on this," Pospisil said. "To finally be at the stage where we're ready to go, are launching, got everything we need, and we have amazing player board reps that honestly we couldn't be happier with."

Djokovic, a 21-time singles grand slam winner, is at the forefront, and Pospisil said the 35-year-old Serbian's role has been crucial.

"I feel like you need somebody that is at the top of the sport," Pospisil said. "So, I just think all the players and our organisation, we're very lucky that he's so supportive and that he's stuck his neck out and is fighting for what he believes in and what he believes is right."

Rafael Nadal has denied he has already decided to follow Roger Federer into retirement after this year's French Open.

The Spaniard wil turn 37 in June, and calling time on his career at the grand slam he has won a record 14 times might be the ideal way to sign off.

Making predictions for the season, Germany's Alexander Zverev told Eurosport: "Unfortunately, I think Rafa will retire at Roland Garros. I don't want it to happen, but I think he will have a great tournament, potentially win it and say goodbye."

That would mean Nadal joining his former great rival Federer in waving goodbye to a glorious career after the Swiss played for the last time at the Laver Cup in September. Nadal's tears that night in London pointed to a realisation his own time on tour was also nearing its end.

However, Nadal denies Zverev has been given any encouragement to throw out such a specific retirement suggestion, which was revealed ahead of the Australian Open.

Nadal is the defending champion in Melbourne, and he also took the Paris slam last year to reach 22 for his career, putting him one ahead of Novak Djokovic.

"I don't know what's going to happen in six months," Nadal said, quoted by Eurosport.

"I have a very good relationship with Zverev, but not enough to confess something like that to him.

"The reality is that I'm here to play tennis, try to have a great 2023, fight for everything that I have struggled throughout my career, and I don't think about my retirement.

“You think about it week after week because that's how you show me at every press conference. But I will answer the same every time you ask me."

Nadal has lost six of his last seven tour-level matches, suggesting he might struggle to make serious inroads in his title defence, which starts against Britain's Jack Draper on Monday.

Asked if he felt vulnerable, Nadal said: "Yeah, of course. Without a doubt. I have been losing more than usual, so that's part of the business.

"I think I am humble enough to accept that situation and just work with what I have today. I need to build again all this momentum. I need to build again this confidence with myself with victories. But it's true that I have been losing more than usual.

"I already have been here for three weeks, practising every day with the conditions, with the best players. That helps a lot in general terms.

"My situation, I don't know what can happen on Monday, but my personal feeling, without a doubt, is better now than three weeks ago, in general terms."

Cameron Norrie missed the chance to cap his New Zealand homecoming as he was beaten 4-6 6-4 6-4 by Richard Gasquet in the Auckland Open final on Saturday.

Norrie grew up in Auckland, and the British number one reached his first ATP Tour-level final in the city in 2019.

But despite repeating that feat and then winning the opening set of Saturday's final, Frenchman Gasquet roared back to lift his first title on the ATP Tour since 2018.

After they split the opening two sets, Norrie looked to be on the way to victory when he held a 4-1 lead in the decider.

But 36-year-old Gasquet rattled off five straight sets, including two breaks of serve, to shock the second seed and become the oldest champion in the Auckland Open's 66-year history.

"It's an amazing title for me, especially now at my age," Gasquet told a post-match news conference. "I really didn't think I would win again.

"I'm 37 this year, so when I came here last week, if you were to tell me next Saturday you will win here, I wouldn't believe it."

Norrie gets his Australian Open campaign underway against wildcard Luca van Assche on Monday, while Gasquet will play fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the first round.

At the Adelaide International 2, Kwon Son-woo defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-4) to take the crown.

Bautista Agut, who knocked out defending champion Thanasi Kokkinakis in the semi-finals, hit back from losing the opening set to level the game with a strong second stanza.

The deciding set went all the way to a tie-break as both players lost two of their service games, but with Kwon 5-4 up in the pivotal tie-break, the world number 84 found two breaks of serve to complete the victory.

The win was Kwon's second ATP Tour title and first since lifting the Astana Open trophy in 2021, while he becomes the first South Korean to win multiple Tour-level titles.

Cameron Norrie will get a chance to cap his New Zealand homecoming with a title at the Auckland Open.

The British number one, who spent much of his childhood in New Zealand and Auckland specifically, reached his first ATP Tour-level final in the city in 2019, and has repeated that feat this time out.

Norrie made light work of Jenson Brooksby on Friday, winning 6-3 6-4.

He will face Richard Gasquet, who progressed via walkover due to Constant Lestienne's withdrawal through injury, in Saturday's showdown.

Norrie has won all six of his matches this season, three in Auckland and three at the United Cup, where he beat Rafael Nadal.

"It was an absolute battle with Jenson. A lot of long rallies and I know how well he competes, so it was nice to get it done in straight sets," said Norrie.

"He puts the ball in such awkward parts off the court and I had to come up with a lot of really tough shots on the run and a lot of big passes.

"I was able to serve it out and stay really calm and get over the line, but he's a great player."

At the Adelaide International 2, defending champion Thanasi Kokkinakis fell just short of reaching the final again.

He battled back from a set down to force a decider against Roberto Bautista Agut, but it was the Spaniard who prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3.

Bautista Agut will face Soonwoo Kwon in the final, after the world number 84 defeated Norrie's compatriot Jack Draper 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (2-7) 6-3.

Nick Kyrgios insists he is serious about being ready to quit tennis the minute he wins a singles grand slam title.

The Australian went close last year to ending his long wait, only to lose in four sets against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.

Now aged 27, Kyrgios wants to achieve glory at a major to satisfy that urge, before stepping off the court for good. If it comes at the Australian Open over the coming fortnight, it will be all the better for him.

Asked whether he stood by his previous comments, Kyrgios said: "A hundred per cent. It's a lot of training, a lot of work, and I just want to be able to eat whatever I want, drink what I want to drink and just relax.

"It's a hard lifestyle, the dedication these guys show day in day out. I did a bit of that last year, had a great year to show the world I'm still one of the best.

"I'm going to try to do it this year, and hopefully I can do it, but it'll be hard."

Kyrgios is ranked 21st by the ATP, but that can be considered a false position, given he collected no points for his career-best Wimbledon run. The tours stripped the London slam of ranking points due to its banning of players from Russia and Belarus.

The 1,200 points Kyrgios would ordinarily have taken away from the All England Club would have nudged him towards a top-10 placing.

There is the tantalising prospect of Kyrgios facing nine-time Melbourne Park champion Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarter-finals this year, and they went through a light-hearted dress rehearsal on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Speaking after that exhibition match, Djokovic said Kyrgios' two wins from their previous three tour-level encounters meant the sky was the limit for the man from Canberra.

"He is 2-1 against me, so as far as I'm concerned he can win anything," said Djokovic.

According to Djokovic, Kyrgios had been unaware of the potential for a meeting between the pair in the Australian Open last eight.

Serbian Djokovic has done his homework though, and appears to have mapped out his potential route to what would be a record-equalling 22nd men's singles grand slam title.

"I have to be honest, I think most of the guys are studying the draw pretty seriously, but you have to take it one match at a time," Djokovic said, speaking on Channel Nine.

"We think every player has so much motivation and inspiration to be able to play his best in the court, to perform well, so you cannot underestimate anybody, you cannot take any match for granted.

"It's a hopefully long two weeks. I know Nick and I are in the same part of the draw – he didn't know that by the way. Before the match I told him."

Novak Djokovic returned to action in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd for the first time in two years, and declared: "It's great to be back."

The nine-time Australian Open champion was denied a role in last year's tournament when his vaccination status, having refused a COVID-19 jab, led to him being detained in a Melbourne immigration centre and later deported.

He was briefly released in January 2022 to practise at Melbourne Park before the tournament began, only to be effectively thrown out of the country days later.

With Australia's border controls having since been relaxed, and vaccination status no longer a condition of entry, Djokovic has had the red carpet rolled out this year, befitting his status as the most successful male singles player in the Australian Open's history.

He faced Nick Kyrgios in an exhibition match on Friday evening in Melbourne, with the stadium court sold out and the match screened on national television.

Kyrgios won 4-3 2-4 10-9, in what was a largely light-hearted encounter, a jumped-up practice session. It inevitably lacked the intensity of their last meeting, when Djokovic prevailed in four sets in the 2022 Wimbledon final.

A fierce backhand from Kyrgios in the match tie-break briefly caught out Djokovic, who was wrong-footed and volleyed out of court before slumping to the floor as though shot.

There was more than a little dramatic licence about his fall, and about the match in general, typified by the pair being joined on court by wheelchair players and a pair of leading juniors for the decisive tie-break.

The result did not matter, though it will if these two meet in the quarter-finals of the year's opening grand slam, as they might after the draw was revealed on Thursday.

Djokovic, who did not appear hampered by a recent hamstring niggle, told the crowd: "It just feels great to be back in Australia, back in Melbourne.

"This is the court and the stadium where I created the best memories of my tennis career. Back in 2008 it was the first time I won a grand slam here, and 15 years later I'm here again, and I'm competing at a high level, so I must be grateful for this opportunity to be here.

"Thank you guys for welcoming me in a good way tonight, I appreciate it."

It was a night for jollity and camaraderie, but should both reach that quarter-final date, Djokovic said: "I don't think we'll be this friendly to each other."

Kyrgios, who defended Djokovic during last year's January crisis, said of the 35-year-old Serbian: "It's so important to have him around.

"One of the greatest already left us last year, Roger [Federer], and I don't think we actually knew how special the guys are to our sport, so every time Novak's around at these events I want to beat him, even though I can't at a grand slam."

The Australian Open begins on Monday, when Djokovic facing Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena first. Djokovic is chasing a 22nd grand slam title, which would equal the men's singles record held by Rafael Nadal.

Kyrgios, yet to win a singles slam, starts against Russian Roman Safiullin.

At the Auckland Open, second-seed Briton Cameron Norrie beat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to set up a last-four clash with another player from the USA, Jenson Brooksby, who edged past France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

The other semi-final will be an all-French battle between Richard Gasquet and Constant Lestienne, who both came from a set down to see off David Goffin and Laslo Djere respectively.

At the Auckland Open, second-seed Briton Cameron Norrie beat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to set up a last-four clash with another player from the USA, Jenson Brooksby, who edged past France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

The other semi-final will be an all-French battle between Richard Gasquet and Constant Lestienne, who both came from a set down to see off David Goffin and Laslo Djere respectively.

At the Auckland Open, second-seed Briton Cameron Norrie beat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to set up a last-four clash with another player from the USA, Jenson Brooksby, who edged past France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

The other semi-final will be an all-French battle between Richard Gasquet and Constant Lestienne, who both came from a set down to see off David Goffin and Laslo Djere respectively.

At the Auckland Open, second-seed Briton Cameron Norrie beat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to set up a last-four clash with another player from the USA, Jenson Brooksby, who edged past France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

The other semi-final will be an all-French battle between Richard Gasquet and Constant Lestienne, who both came from a set down to see off David Goffin and Laslo Djere respectively.

Thanasi Kokkinakis is on a roll again at the Adelaide International 2 where the hometown hero and defending champion marched into the semi-finals on just two hours' sleep.

The Australian wildcard saw off Serbian sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 on Thursday to set up a semi-final against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Kokkinakis had a stellar run to the title at this tournament 12 months ago, beating John Isner and Marin Cilic before knocking over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the final.

A first-round exit followed at the Australian Open, although he memorably won the doubles title with Nick Kyrgios. Kokkinakis struggled for the rest of the year, with his ranking currently at 110.

Kokkinakis said after his latest win: "I didn't sleep much last night. I reckon I got to sleep at about five and maybe slept for a couple of hours.

"I just couldn't sleep for whatever reason, so I was trying to conserve energy. I didn't want to use it too much. I had a couple of Monsters [energy drinks] before I started and tried to get going.

"When I'm serving well my whole game follows, and then when my forehand gets going I think I've been hitting my backhand really well this week. If I'm doing those three things, it's a good recipe.

"I grew up on this court when I was eight, nine, 10 years old. I showed up last year, and hopefully I can ride the wave with you guys and keep it going."

Fourth seed Bautista Agut beat compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 6-2, while the other Adelaide semi-final will see British player Jack Draper tackle South Korean Kwon Soon-woo.

Draper, who has been drawn to face Rafael Nadal in round one of the Australian Open, beat Russian third seed Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6 (7-3), while Kwon saw off Swedish qualifier Mikael Ymer 6-1 6-2.

At the Auckland Open, second-seed Briton Cameron Norrie beat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to set up a last-four clash with another player from the USA, Jenson Brooksby, who edged past France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

The other semi-final will be an all-French battle between Richard Gasquet and Constant Lestienne, who both came from a set down to see off David Goffin and Laslo Djere respectively.

Nick Kyrgios has poured a chunk of his tennis fortune into Australian basketball team South East Melbourne Phoenix, already planning for a future beyond his tennis career.

The 27-year-old, who was runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, said he could even get involved on the playing side with the Phoenix if he feels able.

That might be wishful thinking on behalf of the long-time basketball fan, who still has ambitions left in tennis, including the hope he will be a serious trophy contender at the Australian Open over the coming fortnight. 

Kyrgios joins Los Angeles Clippers star John Wall and a string of former NBA players in investing in the Phoenix, and he said on Thursday: "This is a big opportunity. Everyone knows my basketball roots, so to be a part of the NBL, it's a massive move for me in my career.

"I feel I've got some great relationships within that team already. I'm one of the tennis players that doesn't travel as often. I'm looking forward to being in Australia a bit more."

He said he would be "quite hands on", and it remains to be seen whether he does travel less in tennis, cutting down his tour commitments further. Of players ranked in the ATP top 25 – Kyrgios is number 21 – nobody has played fewer tournaments in the last year than the 14 events Kyrgios has entered.

"I've got a lot of things happening at the moment and this is one of the biggest," Kyrgios added. "My tennis career's not going to last forever. I've been on tour now for nine, 10 years and I feel I'm building that platform to have these experiences and relationships, so I've got to use it while I can.

"I'll do anything for the team. I'd get out there, rebound, play with them. If my body's up to it, I'll get out there, 100 per cent."

Last January saw Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis roar to doubles glory in Melbourne, but this time around Kyrgios is making the singles a clear priority.

He will face Russian Roman Safiullin in round one, after the draw was revealed on Thursday. Novak Djokovic is a potential quarter-final opponent.

"I'm one of the best players in the world, so I'm definitely going into the Australian Open, or any tournament, with confidence," Kyrgios said. "I've proven I can go deep in a grand slam, and with the support of the Phoenix and my team, and Australia on my back, hopefully it's going to be a good couple of weeks.

"It's a bit different for me, being one of the favourites. Usually I'm a dark horse.

"This is the first time I've gone into a slam feeling I'm one of the guys that can really take the trophy and knock on the door. Usually I've got a nothing-to-lose [attitude], just putting on a show, but I've got to really find that balance in the next two weeks.

"Obviously I'm capable, but there's so many more players in the draw who are capable as well."