Tennis
Novak Djokovic wins the Australian Open for the tenth time, draws level with Nadal and bursts into tears
Novak Djokovic defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas 6: 3, 7: 6, 7: 6 and wins the Australian Open for the tenth time. With his 22nd Grand Slam title, the Serb draws level with record holder Rafael Nadal.
After his 22nd Grand Slam victory, Novak Djokovic bursts into tears.
A year after his deportation, Novak Djokovic wins the Australian Open for the tenth time. In the final, the Serb prevailed 6: 3, 7: 6, 7: 6 against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (24, ATP 4). With his 22nd Grand Slam title, Djokovic is also catching up with the previous record holder. The Spaniard Rafael Nadal failed in the third round.
Against Tsitsipas he managed the decisive break to 3: 1 in the first set. In the second round, when the score was 4: 5, Djokovic fended off a set ball on his own serve. In the tie-break he wins 7:4. He can immediately correct the 0:1 break deficit in the third set. The tie-break decides again, Djokovic prevails again, this time with 7: 5.
When he climbs into the spectator stands after converting match point, he collapses, overwhelmed by emotions. “If you take the circumstances into account,” says Djokovic, “it was the biggest win of my career.”
Completely overwhelmed by emotions: Novak Djokovic.
Father Srdjan not at Rod Laver Arena
As in the semifinals, Djokovic’s father Srdjan is not present. After the semifinals, he had his picture taken with a man wearing a T-shirt with the Z symbol and holding a Russian flag with Vladimir Putin’s likeness on it. Srdjan Djokovic then voluntarily decided not to support his son in the Rod Laver Arena.
Due to a muscular injury to his left thigh, Novak Djokovic was unsure before the tournament whether he could compete in Melbourne. After that, he was repeatedly at the center of controversy. After a toilet break, he accused the TV channel Eurosport of publicly lynching him. He also had an intoxicated spectator thrown out of the stadium, who is said to have insulted and provoked him below the waistline.
Novak Djokovic was in the final of the Australian Open ten times and won the title ten times.
Djokovic remains the king of Australia. His last defeat was on January 22, 2018, when he lost in three tight sets to South Korean Hyeon Chung in the round of 16 at the Australian Open. Since then he has won 41 games and has now won the Melbourne title four times.
For his fans, Novak Djokovic has long been “The Greatest of All Time”. The numbers also speak for the Serbs.
Djokovic again number 1 in the world
Judging by the numbers, Djokovic is undisputedly the most successful player in the history of men’s tennis. He is the only one who has won all four Grand Slam tournaments at least twice, as well as each of the Masters tournaments. In Melbourne, Djokovic celebrates his 93rd tournament victory.
He will also replace Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the world rankings on Monday. The Spaniard, absent from Melbourne through injury, became the youngest man in history to take the top spot last fall after winning the US Open aged 19.
No chance in the Australian Open final: Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Between July 4, 2011 and June 5, 2022, Djokovic topped the rankings for 373 weeks and finished seven seasons at the top. Longer and more often than any other man. The return to the top of the world rankings is particularly impressive because Djokovic missed the US Open and four Masters tournaments last year due to not being vaccinated against the corona virus. In addition, he received no points for his Wimbledon victory because of the suspension of Russians and Belarusians.
Novak Djokovic is the best male tennis player of the moment, the best of the decade. And the most successful tennis player in history.
