Daily Dose of Social Media: Djokovic spotted training under Andy Murray’s guidance, Raducanu and Rybakina team up

The Australian Open is drawing closer, and in a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at the final preparations being made by ATP and WTA stars ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam. Novak Djokovic had his first practice session with Andy Murray at Melbourne Park, as well as being spotted in a brief encounter with Jannik Sinner in the locker room.

At the same venue, Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina joined forces for an intense training session at the Kia Arena under the watchful eye of Goran Ivanisevic, just as controversy arises over Rybakina’s rehiring of her former coach Stefano Vukov. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev introduced his second child to the world.

Raducanu and Rybakina train in Melbourne

Emma Raducanu is settling into her first days in Melbourne and had a high-profile practice session today with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who was seen receiving instructions from her new coach, Goran Ivanisevic, from the baseline. Raducanu seems to be showing positive signs regarding her health after withdrawing from the ASB Classic a week earlier due to back discomfort. The 2021 US Open champion reportedly made the decision as a precaution, and videos from her training session suggest she is working without apparent physical difficulties.

On the other hand, Rybakina has recently been at the centre of controversy over the reappointment of Stefano Vukov, her former coach, who has been accused of mistreating the player. It seemed that bringing Ivanisevic (former coach of Novak Djokovic) on board would signal the end of her relationship with Vukov, but Rybakina decided to keep him as part of her team. However, Vukov currently faces a ban from the WTA while investigations into the alleged mistreatment are ongoing, which prevents him from entering facilities alongside players’ teams.

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Djokovic begins preparations for Australian Open with new coach Andy Murray

Novak Djokovic was spotted at Melbourne Park in his first training session alongside his new coach, Andy Murray. The Brit, who retired at the end of 2024, was announced as Djokovic’s coach a few weeks ago, and fans eagerly awaited their first sessions together. Murray did not accompany Djokovic during his run at the Brisbane International, where Nole lost in the quarterfinals to Reilly Opelka.

During practice at Margaret Court Arena, Djokovic was seen rallying from the baseline while Murray, racket in hand, provided instructions. The three-time Grand Slam champion also hit a few balls with his new protégé, who is chasing his 25th Grand Slam title and aiming to extend his record in Melbourne, where he has already won 10 titles — the most in the tournament’s history.

Djokovic ended the 2024 season without securing any ATP titles. He enters the Australian Open as the 7th seed, meaning potential showdowns against players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz could occur as early as the quarterfinals. Murray, who was recently an active competitor on the Tour, will now be in Djokovic’s box, offering his expertise throughout the tournament.

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The Serbian also had a brief encounter with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Melbourne Park. Security cameras captured the moment Djokovic, entering the locker room, ran into the Italian, who was just leaving. The two shared a quick embrace before going their separate ways.

It’s worth remembering that in 2024, Sinner ended Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open, defeating him in the semifinals 6-1, 6-2, 6(6)-7(8), 6-3 on his way to claiming his first Grand Slam title. Their head-to-head record is tied at 4-4, with Sinner winning four of their last five matches. Their most recent clash came in the final of the Shanghai Masters, where Sinner triumphed in straight sets. Could they meet again at Rod Laver Arena this year?

Jabeur celebrates spectacular volley in win over Collins at Adelaide

Ons Jabeur shared her incredible volley on social media after her triumph against Danielle Collins in the first round of the Adelaide International. The former World No. 2 seems ready to regain her form. Last week, she secured three wins before falling to Mirra Andreeva in the Brisbane quarterfinals, and she started this week with a remarkable victory over World No. 11 Collins.

The Tunisian ended her 2024 season early in August after the Canadian Open, opting for an extended recovery period to address a longstanding back injury. Jabeur has her sights set on achieving Grand Slam success, where she has been a three-time runner-up. The Australian Open will be her first chance to take a step forward, though she enters the tournament unseeded after a significant ranking drop, currently outside the Top 40.

On social media, Jabeur posted a video of the volley that wowed the Adelaide crowd during her win over Collins. Next, the Tunisian faces Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in the round of 16 this Wednesday. Jabeur leads their head-to-head 3-0.

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Daniil Medvedev welcomes second child ahead of Australian Open

Daniil Medvedev announced the arrival of his second child just before travelling to the Australian Open. The former World No. 1 had not revealed that his family was expecting, but a recent family photo featuring his daughter Alissa and the newborn revealed the news. He captioned the post, “Happy 2025 ❤️.” The 2022 US Open champion received congratulations from several colleagues, including former Grand Slam champions Stan Wawrinka and Garbiñe Muguruza.

Medvedev opted out of playing any warm-up tournaments before the Australian Open and will arrive at the year’s first Grand Slam without match practice, having last competed at the ATP Finals, where he suffered a first-round exit. While the spotlight is on Sinner and Alcaraz as title favourites, Medvedev cannot be underestimated. The Russian has reached the final in three of the last four editions, although he was defeated each time. Notably, he was two sets up against Rafa Nadal in 2022 and against Sinner in 2024, but both rivals staged remarkable comebacks to deny him the title.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime enjoys Australia ahead of Adelaide debut

Felix Auger-Aliassime shared a series of photos of himself enjoying the Australian beaches after spending a couple of weeks in the country. The Canadian started his season in Perth at the United Cup, where he teamed up with Leylah Fernandez in Group A. However, their campaign ended after being eliminated by Team USA.

Auger-Aliassime quickly shifted focus to the Adelaide International, where he is set to debut on Wednesday against Arthur Cazaux. This will be his final challenge before kicking off his Australian Open campaign next week. “Australia has been treating me pretty nice so far 😎☀️ Time to get it going tomorrow 💪🏽,” he posted.

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