Ten-time winner Novak Djokovic will look to exact revenge on 2024 Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who beat him in last year’s semi-finals.

The Serbian star is now the only member of the ‘big three’ left competing, after Rafael Nadal retired from tennis in 2024, and Roger Federer hung up the racket in 2022.

Nadal and Federer combined for eight titles at Melbourne Park, and their absence at the event over the past few years has been noticeable.

They played several legendary matches against one another, and after one encounter in 2012, Federer revealed how he really felt about playing Nadal.

Roger Federer felt that Rafael Nadal always played his best tennis against him after losing at the 2012 Australian Open

As the number two, and number three seeds, Nadal and Federer advanced to the last four of the 2012 Australian Open, with ambitions of bringing home the title.

The pair failed to reach the final in 2011, as Nadal lost to his compatriot David Ferrer in the quarter-finals and Federer lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals.

Determined to go one better this time around the Swiss star started strongly, as he grabbed the first set in a tiebreaker.

The momentum soon switched, however, as the Spaniard took control, winning the match 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4, to book his place in the final against Djokovic.

Federer was complimentary towards his ATP rival but frustrated after the match, as he believed that Nadal always raised his level when they played each other.

“I always think he plays a bit better against me than against other players, but that’s good for him,” he said.

“I don’t know if it’s true, it’s my assumption.

“I feel he plays really good against me.”

The now 20-time Slam champion went on to explain why he thought Nadal was able to raise his level against him.

“He’s played me that many times on clay, so maybe he always draws something out of those matches,” said Federer.

“He’s also got a winning record against me which maybe gives him extra confidence, I don’t know, yeah, I think he has a clear plan and he follows that one very well.

“Like I said, I think he just plays good, you know, and he’s obviously improved a lot on all surfaces over the years, he’s a very good player, obviously.”

Reporters told Nadal what Federer had said, and gave him the opportunity to respond.

“I play my best tennis against him when I am ready to play my best tennis, I don’t play my best tennis because it’s Roger [Federer] in front,” he said.

“Normally when I play against Roger it’s because I am playing my best tennis because I always was in finals or was in very important matches, and having good confidence because I have won a lot of matches before.

“It’s true I played a lot of good matches against him during my career, so it is something fantastic, but I believe that he played a few fantastic matches against me too during his career, during our rivalry, no?”

Federer and Nadal may have been rivals, but it was a rivalry played in good spirits, something that both made a point of reiterating after the match.

“I enjoy playing him, the crowd really gets into it, which is nice,” said Federer.

“We have a lot of respect for each other, which is good, too, I think.

“I hope it inspires future generations or other players, you know, being nice to each other on the court and all that stuff.”

Nadal agreed as he was thankful for the rivalry he had forged with Federer.

“I enjoy playing against him, it’s always a special feeling because our matches always have been special, and especially today after a lot of ones, a lot of important moments for our careers,” he said.

“Our relationship always has been in a very positive way, so for all of these facts our matches are special, no?

“I think hopefully we will repeat soon.”

How many times did Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play each other at the Australian Open?

Nadal may have got the better of Federer when they faced off on Rod Laver Arena back in 2012, but how many times did they play each other in Australia, and who got the better of those encounters?

• 2009 Australian Open final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2
• 2012 Australian Open semi-final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4
• 2014 Australian Open semi-final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-6, 6-3, 6-3
• 2017 Australian Open final – Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

The Spaniard led the head-to-head 3-1, only losing their final encounter back in 2017.

Federer battled through in five sets to get the better of Nadal in Melbourne for the first time as he claimed his fifth Australian Open title.

The match reminded many of Nadal’s win over Federer in 2009, a contest that many consider to be one of the greatest of all time.

It remains to be seen if any matches at the 2025 Australian Open can live up to the standard set by Nadal and Federer, but there isn’t long to wait now, as the competition gets underway on January 12.

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