Novak Djokovic defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his tenth Australian Open title

CNN
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The result was familiar, and the ease with which it was achieved was somewhat surprising. Certainly, the historical implications of this match have not been restricted Novak Djokovic The Serb also won Stefanos Tsitsipas In straight sets to win his tenth Australian Open title and a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam.

After securing the win 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5), Djokovic went to the players box and cried uncontrollably, overcome with the importance and emotion of his achievement. Even as he returns to his seat on the court, Djokovic covers his face with a towel, television cameras capture the sound of his continued crying.

Last year, Djokovic was unable to defend his title after being deported from the country due to his Covid-19 vaccination. This year at Melbourne Park he suffered a hamstring injury and had to deal with the fallout from his father, Srdjan, He is photographed with a group of Russian supporters at the Australian Open.

During the presentation ceremony, Djokovic called the victory “the biggest victory of my life”.

“It was one of the most challenging tournaments I’ve ever played in my life, given the circumstances,” he said.

“I won’t play last year, I’ll be back this year. I want to thank all the people who made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable. Only the team and the family know what we’ve been through over the past four to five weeks and this is the biggest victory of my life given those circumstances.”

The statistics are staggering, and the quality and consistency of your tennis is even more so. Djokovic last lost at the 2018 Australian Open, a winning streak that stretched to 28 matches. In this tournament, he only lost one set.

Djokovic and Rafael Nadal share the men’s record for major wins, while Djokovic became only the second man to win more than 10 titles at a single tournament. The other is, yes, Nadal, who has won the French Open 14 times.

Undoubtedly, the two men are all-time greats not only in their sport but in any other sport. Which is greater? This battle and debate continues, and tennis is the beneficiary.

The victory over Tsitsipas in Melbourne, which lasted less than three hours, also put Djokovic back at the top of the men’s world rankings, a place he would hold for 374 weeks.

Tsitsipas, who is playing in his first Grand Slam final, the French Open, which also ended in defeat for Djokovic, can take comfort that he is not the first player the 35-year-old Serb has bested in the tournament. Great occasion.

The Greek’s serve was under pressure from the start. He fell 15-40 in the second game but managed to level the first set at 1-1, but once Djokovic broke in the fourth game not only did he feel like the set was going to come to a conclusion, but also the match. .

Tsitsipas, seeded third, resisted fiercely in the second set, unforced errors decreased, serve became more powerful, and earned a set point, but it was Djokovic who prevailed in the 15-shot that followed. Then the opportunity was lost. Counter-fouls will destroy Tsitsipas’ chances in the tie-break that decided the group.

An immediate break of Tsitsipas’s serve in the third set signaled the match was over but Djokovic immediately broke back. Once again, a draw was needed to separate the pair, with Djokovic taking the upper hand this time – a 5-0 lead before picking up three tournament points.

When Tsitsipas made a long comeback, Djokovic’s title was secured. The Serb looked towards his team and his family – his father Srjan did not appear – and pointed to his head and heart. Then the tears came.

In the end, Tsitsipas’ 42 unforced errors proved costly, while he was only able to secure one of his three break points, chances he had to seize if he was to truly test the Serb.

At the moment, the man is likely to be one of the players who will succeed the great rest of men’s tennis in the shadows.