After being denied thrice in his profession on the Rod Laver Enviornment – by Rafael Nadal (2019) and Daniil Medvedev (2021-22) – Stefanos Tsitsipas lastly cracked the code this time to make this primary ever remaining at what he calls his ‘house Slam’. However in a bid to stroll house, to Greece, with the largest prize of his profession, Tsitsipas must take down the hardest barrier on the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic. Not solely is the Serb a nine-time champion on the Melbourne Park, the 2 most telling stats that completely sums up his dominance in Australian Open is his 9-0 report within the remaining and his 27-0 report on this Slam since 2019. To not overlook, it is a man on a mission, keen to offer the becoming reply to the drama that unfolded final January and to degree Nadal in etching his identify in historical past.
Observe | Aus Open 2023 finals: Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Forward of the blockbuster Australian Open remaining between nine-time champion Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas on the Melbourne Park, we check out the head-to-head report, key stats and data in line for the match…
HEAD-TO-HEAD TIE:
Sunday’s tie will probably be their thirteenth ATP assembly between the 2 with Djokovic being the overwhelming favorite within the head-to-head report. Though it was Tsitsipas who had shocked the Serb of their very first assembly again in 2018 Canadian Open, after which once more within the Shanghai Masters within the following yr, Djokovic silenced the Greek profitable all the following 9 matches, together with two on the Grand Slam degree, each of which had been on the Roland Garros.
Seven of those 12 conferences have been on exhausting court docket and Djokovic leads 5-2. Nevertheless, Tsitsipas has gained two of their three conferences on outside hardcourt.
This may also be their second assembly in a serious remaining. Tsitsipas has gone down from a two-set lead within the 2021 French Open remaining to lose 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
BATTLE FOR NO.1 RANKING:
Three gamers – Casper Ruud, Djokovic, Tsitsipas – had got down to topple injured Carlos Alcaraz from the world no.1 spot within the ATP rankings. It’s now right down to the ultimate two and with them reaching the summit conflict, Alcaraz’s 20-week run ends on Monday because the winner of the Australian Open trophy will emerge as the brand new world no.1. The loser will probably be third on the planet.
If Djokovic wins, he’ll ascend to the highest spot in ATP rankings for the primary time since June 6. He has already spent a report 373 weeks as World No. 1 throughout his profession. For Tsitsipas, it is going to be first such feat in his profession.
KEY STATS:
On reaching his thirty third Grand Slam remaining, already a report in itself within the Open Period in males’s singles tennis, Djokovic grew to become the fourth oldest male participant within the Open Period to achieve the ultimate on the Australian Open, youthful solely than Ken Rosewall (1972 and 1971), Mal Anderson (1972) and Roger Federer (2018). The 35-year-old presently has a 21-11 report in Grand Slam finals.
The win in opposition to Tommy Paul within the semis additionally took Djokovic previous Andre Agassi’s long-standing tally of 26 wins as he now holds the report of longest males’s singles principal draw profitable streak on the Australian Open within the Open Period. Djokovic hasn’t misplaced a match on the Australian Open since 2019 and owns a 9-0 report within the remaining on the Melbourne Park.
This will probably be Tsitsipas’ second look in a Grand Slam remaining and he grew to become solely the youngest male participant to achieve the ultimate on the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray who confronted one another in 2011.
RECORDS IN LINE:
Djokovic will probably be aiming for not one however two of Nadal’s most wonderful feats in Open Period tennis. With the elusive trophy on Sunday evening, Djokovic will degree The Spaniard’s report tally of twenty-two Grand Slam titles, essentially the most ever in males’s singles tennis. He may also change into the second participant after Nadal to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam, becoming a member of the 36-year-old’s tally of 14 French Open hauls.
Lifting his maiden Grand Slam trophy, Tsitsipas will change into the primary singles participant from Greece to attain this feat.