MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic climbed into the Rod Laver Arena stands to have a good time his tenth Australian Open championship and record-tying twenty second Grand Slam title Sunday and, after leaping and pumping his fists along with his staff, he collapsed onto his again, crying.
When he returned to the taking part in floor, Djokovic sat on his sideline bench, buried his face in a white towel and sobbed some extra.
This journey to Australia was much more profitable than that of a yr in the past — when he was deported as a result of he was not vaccinated towards COVID-19 — though troublesome in its personal methods: a nasty hamstring; some off-court tumult involving his father. Yet Djokovic achieved all he may have probably needed in his return: He resumed his successful methods at Melbourne Park and made it again to the highest of tennis, declaring: “This probably is the, I would say, biggest victory of my life.”
Only briefly challenged within the ultimate, Djokovic was merely higher on the most vital moments and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). As a bonus, Djokovic will vault from No. 5 to No. 1 within the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for extra weeks than every other man.
“This has been one of the most challenging tournaments I’ve ever played in my life, considering the circumstances. Not playing last year; coming back this year,” Djokovic stated, sporting a zip-up white jacket with a “22” on his chest. “And I want to thank all the people that made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable, to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia.”
The 35-year-old from Serbia stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to twenty-eight matches, the longest run there within the Open period, which dates to 1968. He provides trophy No. 10 to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Open — the place he additionally was absent final yr due to no coronavirus pictures — and two from the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for essentially the most by a person.
Only two ladies — Margaret Court, with 24, and Serena Williams, with 23 — are forward of him.
This was additionally the 93rd ATP tour-level title for Djokovic, breaking a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most.
“I would like to thank you for pushing our sport so far,” Tsitsipas informed Djokovic.
“He is the greatest,” Tsitsipas stated, “that has ever held a tennis racket.”
Djokovic was collaborating in his thirty third main ultimate, Tsitsipas in his second — and the 24-year-old from Greece additionally misplaced the opposite, on the 2021 French Open, to Djokovic.
On a cool night underneath a cloud-filled sky, and with a soundtrack of chants from supporters of each males prompting repeated pleas for quiet from the chair umpire, Djokovic was superior all through, particularly so within the two tiebreakers.
He took a 4-1 lead within the first, then reeled off the final three factors. He led 5-0 within the closing tiebreaker and, when it completed, he pointed to his temple earlier than screaming, a prelude to all the tears.
“Very emotional for us. Very emotional for him,” stated Djokovic’s coach, Goran Ivanisevic. “It’s a great achievement. It was a really tough three weeks for him. He managed to overcome everything.”
Djokovic acknowledged all the points created pressure for him.
“It took an enormous amount of mental and emotional energy,” Djokovic stated, “to really keep it tight, keep my focus.”
Keep in thoughts: It’s not as if Tsitsipas performed all that poorly, apart from a rash of early miscues that gave the impression to be extra a product of stress than something. It’s that Djokovic was too unyielding. Too correct along with his strokes, making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe. Too speedy and versatile on the run (apart from when, shifting to his left, Djokovic took a tumble).
“I did everything possible,” stated Tsitsipas, who additionally would have moved to No. 1 with a victory, changing Carlos Alcaraz, who sat out the Australian Open with a leg harm.
Perhaps. Yet Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes some extra, till it’s the opponent who’s one thing lower than excellent on one swing, both lacking or offering a gap to pounce.
That’s what occurred when Tsitsipas held his first break level — which was additionally a set level — whereas forward 5-4 within the second and Djokovic serving at 30-40. Might this be a fulcrum? Might Djokovic relent? Might Tsitsipas surge?
Uh, no.
A 15-stroke level concluded with Djokovic smacking a cross-court forehand winner that felt like a press release. Two misses by Tsitsipas adopted: A backhand lengthy, a forehand large. Those felt like capitulation. Even when Tsitsipas truly did break within the third, Djokovic broke proper again.
There has been greater than forehands and backhands on Djokovic’s thoughts over the previous two weeks.
There was the not-so-small matter of final yr’s authorized saga — he has alternately acknowledged the entire thing served as a type of motivation but additionally stated the opposite day, “I’m over it” — and curiosity concerning the form of reception he would get when allowed to enter Australia as a result of pandemic restrictions have been eased.
He heard a ton of loud help, but additionally handled some persistent heckling whereas competing, together with applause after faults Sunday.
There was the sore left hamstring that has been closely bandaged for each match — till the ultimate, that’s, when solely a single piece of beige athletic tape was seen.
And then there was the matter of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a bunch waving Russian flags — one with a picture of Vladimir Putin — after Djokovic’s quarterfinal. The match banned spectators from carrying flags of Russia or Belarus, saying they might trigger disruption due to the continued invasion of Ukraine. Djokovic and his father stated Srdjan thought he was with Serbian followers.
Still, Srdjan Djokovic didn’t attend his son’s semifinal or the ultimate.
“We both agreed,” stated the youthful Djokovic, who did meet up with Dad for a hug after Sunday’s match, “it would probably be better that he is not there.”
No matter all of it, Djokovic excelled — as he so typically does.
“It’s been a long journey,” he stated, “but a very special one.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com