Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro return, Dominic Thiem comeback delay - what's next on tennis calendar?

The 2022 Australian Open has only just finished, but the tennis calendar continues to roll on. While Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty may be taking a few weeks off after their victories in Melbourne, most other players will be travelling across the world to compete at tournaments. Ad/> Novak Djokovic's return to the court could be the standout moment in February, but there is plenty more to look forward to...

Australian OpenNadal feels 'lucky' to be part of Big Three alongside Federer, Djokovic2 HOURS AGO Djokovic back in Dubai Having watched Nadal move one ahead in the all-time Grand Slam standing race at the Australian Open, Djokovic is set to return to the tennis court in February. The world No 1 has not played competitively since the Davis Cup in November, having seen his Australian visa cancelled on public interest grounds. It remains to be seen if Djokovic’s unwillingness to be vaccinated will cost him a shot at more Grand Slam titles, but for now he will have no issues getting into Dubai.

Unlike in Australia, players do not need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter the tournament, while vaccination is not mandatory when travelling to the United Arab Emirates. Barty, Djokovic retain No 1 rankings Tennis legends salute Nadal after stunning win Djokovic has regularly competed at the ATP 500 event before and is a five-time champion in Dubai. Only Roger Federer has won it more often, with eight titles to his name.

It will be intriguing to not only see what kind of form Djokovic is in, but also what he has to say about the events in Australia and what it could mean for his career going forward. Djokovic may have to perform well in Dubai to stay world No 1 as Daniil Medvedev is close behind. Australian Open