On Monday, inspired American teenager Nishesh Basavareddy gave the 10-times Melbourne Park champion the runaround for the first hour of their first-round clash, and 21-year-old Faria presented another set of problems for Djokovic to solve.

Eyebrows were raised when the order of play for Monday night came out and top drawcards Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios were all scheduled to play at the same time. The decision meant fans could only watch one of three superstars.

Djokovic, like Court, won his first Slam at the Australian Open and he can end the debate definitively on his 20th visit to Melbourne as a professional. Aside from the reliable band of supporters from the local Serbian community, the veteran has rarely been the most popular player at Melbourne Park but he has always been among the best.