25th

Novak Djokovic ready to turn back clock at Australian Open despite falling behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Novak Djokovic can still crack a joke when discussing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry that for two years has prevented him from becoming the most decorated tennis player ever.

“I lost three out of four Slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz in 2025,” he said in reference to the rivalry dubbed “Sincaraz” as he spoke on Saturday, on the eve of the Australian Open.

“We don’t need to praise them too much,” he added, smiling. “They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.”

Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam singles title, and has refined his approach for the Australian Open.

He withdrew from his only scheduled tuneup tournament, knowing he is lacking “a little bit of juice in my legs” to compete with two young stars at the end of the majors and that he has to stay as pain-free as possible.

Djokovic worked out how to beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the established rivals, before he turned it into the Big Three and then surpassed them both.

A winner of 24 major championships – a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis – the 38-year-old Djokovic is doing everything to keep himself “in the mix”.

Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 US Open. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the eight since then. Sinner has won the last two Australian titles, and Alcaraz is in Australia, determined to add the title at Melbourne Park to complete a career Grand Slam.

Despite being hampered by injuries, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors last year. A torn hamstring forced him to quit his Australian Open semifinal after ousting Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

By reminding himself that “24 is also not a bad number,” Djokovic said he is taking the “now-or-never type of mentality” out of his every appearance at a major, because it is not allowing him to excel at his best.

“Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact,” Djokovic said, “but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.

“So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

The 10-time Australian Open champion starts Monday in a night match on Rod Laver Arena against No 71-ranked Pedro Martinez of Spain. Seeded fourth, he is in the same half of the draw as top-ranked Alcaraz. That means they can only meet in the semifinals here.

Djokovic has not played an official tournament since November.

“Obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me – takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said. “I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament … but it’s been going on very well so far here.”

He said there’s “something here and there” every day in terms of aches and pains, “but generally I feel good and look forward to competing.”

Djokovic cut ties earlier this month with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded, saying “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.”

Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA in 2020, aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.

“It was a tough call for me to exit the PTPA, but I had to do that, because I felt like my name was … overused,” he said.

“I felt like people, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it’s my organisation, which is a wrong idea from the very beginning.”

He said he is still supporting the concept.

“I am still wishing them all the best, because I think that there is room and there is a need for a 100% players-only representation organisation existing in our ecosystem,” he added.

Novak Djokovic says he does not think the upcoming Australian Open is “now or never” for his hopes of winning a standalone all-time record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, 38, has been tied on 24 major victories with Australia’s Margaret Court since his last triumph at the 2023 US Open.

Unsurprisingly, the Serb has showed signs of decline in recent years, yet still managed to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams last year.

Given he is a record 10-time men’s champion in Melbourne, and has had plenty of recovery time going into the first major of the season, the consensus is that the Australian Open represents his best chance of landing the elusive record-breaking title.

“There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I’m possibly achieving,” Djokovic, who is seeded fourth at Melbourne Park, said.

“I hope it comes to that [winning 25], but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had.”

Djokovic has never made a secret of his desire to achieve even more history, but is now attempting to release some of the “unnecessary” pressure he places on himself to surpass Court.

He starts his latest bid against Spain’s Pedro Martinez in Monday’s night session on Rod Laver Arena.

“I don’t think it’s needed for me to really go far in terms of make-it-or-break-it or a now-or-never type of mentality,” said Djokovic, who is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam men’s champion in the Open Era.

“Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best.”

IT’S shaping up to be a very exciting year for Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash.

I’m told the singers, who you will know better as Noughties girl band Mis-Teeq, have been discussing how they can celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both Sides.

The record, which came out in October 2001, peaked at No3 in the Official Album Charts and bagged them five Top Ten singles including All I Want, One Night Stand and B With Me.

And now the trio are considering reuniting for a special show to mark the milestone.

A source said: “Alesha has been excitedly talking about this for a while and would love a Mis-Teeq reunion with Sabrina and Su-Elise happen.

“Fans shouldn’t expect a Girls Aloud-style comeback tour, though.

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“At the minute, lots of things are being discussed and one thing that has come up is the idea of a one-off show. It could be an intimate gig for their die-hard fans or a performance on a big TV programme such as Britain’s Got Talent — which Alesha is a judge on.

“Nothing has formally been offered but nothing is off the table.

“Lickin’ On Both Sides launched Alesha, Sabrina and Su-Elise’s music careers and that record holds a really special place in their hearts.

“They want to celebrate that album with their fans.”

Alesha and Sabrina now appear to be back on good terms after the latter threatened to sue over unpaid royalties in 2020.

Sabrina, who was the group’s lead singer, started legal proceedings against Alesha over royalties going back 15 years as well as action against former label Universal.

She alleged Alesha had “wrongfully claimed” song-writing cash for their first two singles Why and All I Want.

A pal said at the time: “Alesha received five per cent royalties for the girls’ first two songs whereas Sabrina received nothing.

“They both should have got 2.5 per cent. Sabrina wasn’t listed as a writer for the tracks but it was written in her contract that she would get pay parity.

“She feels she is owed thousands.”

At the time, a spokesman for Alesha said: “Alesha wrote the raps on both Why? and All I Want and that is why she gets a split.

“The rest of the song was written by a production team. Sabrina has no reason to sue Alesha.”

Earlier this summer Alesha admitted a reunion could be on the cards but added: “Thinking doesn’t mean we are doing, but we’re thinking.

“Which is more than we’ve done.”

Dua toasts a top year

DUA LIPA has been knocking back the cocktails to celebrate a stellar 2025.

I can reveal the Training Season singer raked in £70million in the year to March 2025, making it the most lucrative of her career.

Dua kept it real, though – despite earning the mammoth amount, she only paid herself a paltry £500.

New documents show her live gigs company, Radical22 Live, banked £45.6million, while Dua made a further £45.6million from her management, publishing and production company.

It’s almost double the earnings of other big British pop acts, including Ed Sheeran, over the past year – so I’m not surprised she’s busting open the booze.

Sharing snaps of her end-of-year celebrations, with her family and actor fiance Callum Turner, Dua wrote online: “Thank you for making my last year so special.

“I’m excited to make this the best one yet.”

It certainly will be if 2026 is the year she and Callum get married . . . 

No more Fab secrets

THE BEATLES’ vaults have been slammed shut after 63 years, with super producer Giles Martin admitting fans will never hear any more secret tracks from the Fab Four.

Giles has spent a number of years scouring through the band’s audio recordings, studio archives and even individual projects penned for them over their history.

His efforts have helped produce the current Disney Plus revived Beatles’ Anthology series and remixed albums and tracks.

Asked how much untouched Beatles content exists now, Martin said:
“I don’t think there’s anything. I always say that then something turns up.

“But I don’t think there’s anything. It’s incredible how much interest there still is over Beatles stuff.

“You do [hear new] things on this Anthology box set. There’s that first round of Helter Skelter, which for me is great because it’s really raw.

“It’s proper in your face music.

“And then people go, ‘Well, how come we haven’t released the 20-minute long version of Helter Skelter?’ I think we’re done.” Giles curated the new

Anthology 4 album and remastered the entire collection for the 2025 re-release of The Beatles’ Anthology series.

He believes that collaborating with his late father George Martin, also known as the fifth Beatle, on these projects has been spiritually and professionally fulfilling.

He added: “The Beatles are so powerful that it’s what people want to know about.

“It’s really nice. I love my dad. We were incredibly close.

“Their music and what they did really makes people feel better about themselves. So it’s a complete honour to work on this material and to be close to my dad is a great thing.”

Giles is currently working with director Sam Mendes on the four upcoming Beatles movies, with each focussing on a different member of the band.

On radio in the US, Giles added: “I’m working on these films. They come out in three years.

“What’s amazing about The Beatles is that new generations hear stuff and go back and unearth this catalogue.”

Mel’s bid to mark big hit

THE SPICE GIRLS’ smash hit Wannabe, the song that soundtracked my childhood, turns 30 this year and Mel C has confirmed the group will be celebrating the milestone.

Incredibly, she is still convinced that she can somehow persuade Posh and Ginger to join her, Scary and Baby for a reunion.

Spilling the beans herself on Australian radio, Mel joked: “We’ve decided not to tell Mel B anything because she can’t keep her mouth shut – and also she doesn’t know any more because we’re not telling her.”

Speaking of Wannabe’s 30th anniversary Mel added: “We have to acknowledge it in some way.”

And she explained how plans for that are progressing.

“We are talking about what that looks like and for me, myself, Melanie and Emma. We’re going back on stage  . . .  but sometimes the others may need some convincing.

She said: “Getting the five of us together, it would be the best thing ever. Sometimes I feel like it’s my duty to the world.”

“There’s so much negativity, there’s so much mad s**t going on – let’s just spice up our lives.”

Of her relationships with her bandmates, Mel said: “We have a newfound respect for each other.

“We know when to leave it, we know each other’s irritations and insecurities and we respect that now as adults and mothers.

Recalling their 2019 reunion tour, she added: “The love we had last time that was beamed back from these stadiums was like nothing I’ve experienced as a Spice Girl before.”

Twigs bold and brave

FKA TWIGS has admitted that she’s finally found the courage to speak up for herself.

Speaking in the February edition of Elle UK, which is on sale now, the British singer said: “I’m reaching that age where I can really look back at my life and I can see so many things that have been beautiful and amazing, and other things that have been really brutal and violent.”

Twigs added: “I’m realising that I can hold my love of life and my artistry and the beauty of my life, and I can also hold the brutality and the sadness and the violence.

“I can hold things at the same time, and that feels really good.

“I’ve always wanted to be at this perfect cross point of growth and youth – to be able to be young and sexy and healthy – and also not be an idiot like I was in my 20s.”

Don’t be too hard on yourself, Twigs, no one is that proud of what they did in their 20s.

Ashley is boiling hot

ASHLEY ROBERTS is making me green with envy after sharing even more of her holiday snaps.

The Pussycat Dolls singer quit the freezing wind and snow we’re having in Blighty for the boiling hot sunshine of Mauritius.

Ash told her Instagram followers she’d had the “best time”.

I’m thrilled for you, Ashley. Just thrilled.

HARRY STYLES and Zoe Kravitz have added another destination to their extensive list of travel hotspots.

Since they started dating, the pair have been seen all over the world – including New York, Paris, Rome and London.

Now it’s claimed they spent the last few days holed up inside a luxury resort in the Bahamas.

This sure is a long honeymoon period.

One fan claimed they spotted the former One Direction singer jogging on a beach over the New Year.

NICK JONAS has dropped his reflective new single Gut Punch, before the release of his fifth album, Sunday Best.

On it Nick sings: “Hit me like a gut punch. I hurt my own feelings. How did I get so good at being mean to myself?”

The US star, who is married to Priyanka Chopra, said: “I do wonder if I’m being the best version of myself.

“Am I a present husband and father? Life weighs on you.

“It’s important to remember there was once a carefree version of you loved the world.”