MELBOURNE — Novak Djokovic spent 2015 relentlessly trampling on the hopes and dreams of would-be challengers and the world number one again looms as the reality check to their new season ambitions when the Australian Open gets underway on Monday.
The defending champion will start as raging favorite for a sixth title at the year's first grand slam, continuing the domination of men's tennis that saw the Serb win 11 titles last year and three of the four majors.
Beating the red-hot world number one is a task anywhere. Stopping him at his Melbourne Park fortress is becoming virtually impossible.