MELBOURNE (AP) – A 12 months later, Novak Djokovic made a triumphant return to the Australian Open.
The Serbian tennis star celebrated his twenty second Grand Slam victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) win over Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas within the remaining on Sunday. Djokovic tied with record holder Rafael Nadal and set additional milestones in his spectacular profession.
With his tenth victory in his tenth remaining match of the laborious-courtroom event in Melbourne, Djokovic changed the injured Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz on the prime of the world rankings. The 35-12 months-previous begins his 374th week because the world’s prime ranked tennis participant on Monday – and there are numerous indicators of a protracted new period. A day after Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka gained her first Grand Slam beneath the impartial flag, Djokovic made his mark on the boys’s aspect.
One defeat, many obstacles
Although Djokovic dropped only one set all through the event, his path to the title has been hampered: he has been beneath intense scrutiny for final 12 months’s occasions, accused of appearing partly due to hip issues, and defended in opposition to the allegations. publicly defended his father over an incident involving an unauthorized rest room break and a pro-Russian crowd. “There are so many secondary theaters of conflict that disrupt his focus,” famous his former coach, Boris Becker.
Djokovic left every part. “In my case, I really feel like issues are coming collectively for a motive,” he stated. It’s “not a great state of affairs” to cope with issues like that off the sector, “however it’s a part of my life.” Using this, he tries to change into “stronger and stronger”.
He proved this within the thirty third remaining of the “Grand Slam” event. As was the case in a good second set with laborious serves, highly effective returns and unimaginable nerve, Djokovic pushed his Greek opponent to his limits time and time once more to take possibilities.
Djokovic performed for the primary time within the event with out a white bandage on his left thigh, which, not like within the first rounds, didn’t appear to hinder him in any respect. An age distinction of 11 years and 28 days – the largest distinction between two Australian Open finalists within the skilled period – was not observed. Djokovic seemed match, contemporary and extremely motivated.
Tsitsipas warms the temper
The 24-12 months-previous Tsitsipas, who selected the Australian Open as his “house Slam”, discovered his recreation a lot better from the second set in his second Grand Slam remaining and in doing so fired up the environment at Rod Laver Arena, house to round 15,000 spectators. Thousands of tourists additionally supported the various public viewing areas in Melbourne Park. In the top, Tsitsipas needed to concede defeat to Djokovic, similar to within the 2021 French Open remaining.
Sabalenka’s victory over Kazakhstan’s Wimbledon champion Yelena Rybakina on Saturday was accompanied by political debate because the Belarusian turned the primary impartial participant to win a Grand Slam. His pleasure was not dampened by the truth that his identify was written on the trophy, not his nation of start, Belarus.
“I nonetheless really feel like I’m on one other planet,” Sabalenka stated Sunday in a photograph shoot in a conspicuously embellished pink costume and sky-excessive blue footwear. This is my greatest morning ever. life”.
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