It says one thing when a defeated Grand Slam finalist talks extra concerning the winner in his on-court speech than himself, like Stefanos Tsitsipas did for Novak Djokovic, “the best that has ever held a tennis racquet, for positive”.
Then once more, it’s what Djokovic does on the Australian Open: make it much less about you and extra about him. Irrespective of the noise of the previous (the deportation saga of 2022 and its spillover into the 2023 buildup) or the current (drama round his father that saved him away from the ultimate), Djokovic’s tennis does the speaking in Melbourne.
Prefer it did on the Rod Laver Enviornment on Sunday in a 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) victory within the ultimate the place, save the second set, Greek Tsitsipas was on the mercy of the Serb with a record-extending tenth Australian Open and a record-equalling twenty second Grand Slam title, in addition to sporting the world No 1 crown once more.
Prefer it has executed for 5 years in a rustic and the Completely happy Slam which has given most moments of pleasure to the 35-year-old. Since his straight-sets defeat to Hyeon Chung (kudos to the Korean) within the fourth spherical of the 2018 Australian Open, Djokovic has not misplaced a match within the nation. Not simply on the Australian Open, in any match in Australia within the leadup to the season-opening Slam. Down Beneath, the Djoker’s rise is unparalled.
Even when a hamstring damage that he suffered within the ultimate of the ATP Adelaide victory threatened to drag him down and place him alongside different challengers. Goran Ivanisevic, Djokovic’s coach, believed “97% of the gamers” would have withdrawn from the match however his lone ranger, regardless of the strapped left thigh affecting his recreation and motion within the first week, carried on.
“It required huge psychological power to remain current, to remain centered, to take issues daily and see how far I can go,” Djokovic stated.
It took him to a spot the place he hasn’t misplaced the 9 earlier occasions and in opposition to an opponent he has crushed the 9 earlier occasions. Tsitsipas, nevertheless, regarded nearly as good as ever these two weeks at Melbourne Park and had taken Djokovic the gap within the 2021 French Open ultimate.
Then once more, it’s what Djokovic does on the Australian Open. The Tsitsipas forehand, his most trusted artillery this match, was blunted to an extent that it largely misfired (the Greek had 10 groundstroke forehand winners in comparison with 26 unforced errors).
“There’s nothing that I might have extracted extra for right this moment. I did all the things attainable,” the world No 4 stated.
Djokovic walked out on Sunday with out the strapping on his thigh, an announcement that he was battle match for the ultimate. The beginning too was an announcement, cruising in his holds whereas pushing Tsitsipas with a few early break factors. Positive sufficient, Djokovic sailed forward within the fourth recreation, successful the backhand duels and attacking the second function Tsitsipas double-faulted on break level.
With Djokovic backing up his rip-roaring returns by successful 94% first serve factors, Tsitsipas wasn’t capable of make inroads within the opening set.
The 24-year-old got here up with a uncommon forehand winner within the third recreation of the second set to get the group into it. The subsequent recreation, in his first actual opening at 15-30 on the Djokovic serve, the Serb shut it with a winner and the sport with an ace.
Tsitsipas although continued to indicate a constructive physique language, additionally flaunting a drop shot and backhand down-the-line winner. Whereas the Greek was injecting power, an animated Djokovic was venting out to his field. One thing needed to crack for the Serb serving to remain within the set. It did within the type of three unforced errors that handed Tsitsipas a set level. Huge weapons ship on the large factors, and Djokovic saved it with a cracking forehand winner in a 15-shot rally.
After Djokovic tightened his recreation and composed his manner, the tiebreak proved anticlimactic as each went tight and error-strewn. It was particularly poor from Tsitsipas who had three forehand errors within the first 5 factors and 4 in whole to crumble on the again of his solely part of management within the match.
There was then no approach again for the first-time Australian Open finalist in opposition to a person who’d by no means misplaced a Slam ultimate from two units up. Although Djokovic received chilly and damaged at the beginning of the third set after a prolonged break, it did not take too lengthy for him to get the break again.
As if the unshakable baseline beast wasn’t sufficient for the Greek, Djokovic was now executing drop shot winners too. Along with his forehand progressively diminishing and lacking easy putaways, Tsitsipas performed as dangerous a tiebreak within the third set as he did within the second whilst Djokovic lifted his recreation. Organising three championship factors, he requested the group to additionally increase their decibel ranges.
They obliged. So did Djokovic. Because the Australian Open champion for the tenth time.