Bisola David
After defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday to win his 10th Australian Open championship and tie Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 Grand Slam victories, Novak Djokovic referred to it as “the best victory of my life.”
The Serb, who defeated the Greek third seed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), and 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena, will reclaim the top spot in the world rankings after overcoming a hamstring injury and off-court incident.
The Pinch reported that afterwards, the 35-year-old climbed to his player’s box to embrace his mother and sobbed uncontrollably, falling to the ground.
After provoking controversy by standing with a fan wearing a Russian banner bearing Vladimir Putin’s portrait after his son’s quarterfinal victory, his father Srdjan was once more absent.
Djokovic made a spectacular return to Melbourne Park with the decisive victory over Tsitsipas, having missed the previous year’s competition due to his deportation due to his stance on the Covid vaccine.
He stated at the presentation while wearing a jacket with the number 22 embroidered on it, “I have to say this has been one of the most hard tournaments I’ve ever played considering the circumstances, not playing last year, coming back this year.
“I want to thank everyone who helped me feel at home and at ease in Melbourne.
It’s a long trip, so I try to pinch myself and actually live through these times, he continued.
Only my team and family are aware of the struggles we have faced over the past four to five weeks, so given the circumstances, I would definitely say that this is my biggest victory ever.
Djokovic winning again has a sense of inevitability about it.
Djokovic won the Adelaide International before reaffirming his status as an all-time great in Melbourne after his three-year exile from the country was overturned.
With his decisive victory, he surpassed Roger Federer and tied Rafael Nadal for the most Slams (22), with 22.
The legendary Spanish player unexpectedly withdrew from the French Open in the second round due to a hip ailment, but he plans to return for the clay-court season and another shot at a 23rd Slam championship at the tournament.
When the rankings are revealed on Monday, Nadal is expected to drop in the standings, in contrast to Djokovic, who will unseat Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz and reclaim the top spot for the first time since June. Tsitsipas will move up to position three.
“Novak, I am at a loss for words. Your past successes speak for itself. Numbers tell the whole story. Congratulations,” said Tsitsipas, 24, who has not yet won a major championship.
“I’ve had the honor of participating in many challenging, intense matches, but I’d like to reiterate that Novak brings out the best in me.
He is without a doubt the best person to ever hold a tennis racquet.
