Novak Djokovic wins the Australian Open for the 10th time in his career and reaches 22 Grand Slams, equaling Rafael Nadal’s record. He didn’t end there. In the repetition of the final of Roland Garros dated the twenty-first with Stefanos Tsitsipasthe Serbian champion perfectly exploits all the shortcomings of the Greek talent and simplistically handles the biggest moments in a better way.
Not a new one. Djokovic continues to close 6-3 7-6(4) 7-6(4) and despite the 2,000 Wimbledon points outside the Best 18, he once again occupies the first position in the ranking, and even surpasses Nadal in the list of winners. Now 93.
In the first set, Nole is still called to defend the advantage without making any particular changes to the script. He handles the background situation almost perfectly and highlights all the limitations of the Greek, who lacks courage among other things.
Tsitsipas tries to introduce improvements in the tactical plan. At least to award less reference points and exploit the bottom line along the line more carefully. He even concedes a nil game with the serve available early in the second and tries to get a little more into the play in the immediately following game, the fourth.
Tsitsipas takes it to 15-30 thanks to two unforced backhand errors from the Serbian phenom, but remains too passive in the top fifteen of the match. Tsitsipas somehow still hangs on to the game: needless to say, he gets out of trouble at both 30-30 and 40-40 in Game 7 and holds the lead.
It is presumed that Tsitsipas lacks clarity in the most delicate moment of the match. The 4-3 15-30. He’s out of luck with Djokovic’s backhand kissing the tape in the first instance, but he’s guilty of two pretty serious mistakes at 30-30. Despite the circumstances, the Greek took advantage of the small empty pass from the nine-time tournament champion in a decidedly more energetic way and at 4-4 with two aces in a row he gave himself an opportunity.
Djokovic for the first time in the match finds himself dealing with some difficulties. Also thanks to a hint of nervousness that he naturally does not hide. Tsitsipas takes advantage of the situation at 5-4 30-30 and remains extremely passive on the first set point.
Djokovic, still without resorting to extra time, regrouped the score at 5-5 and reached the tie break. In the deciding game, the forehand completely abandons Tsitsipas, who immediately recovers the mini-break from a deficit and litters the book with three straight forehand errors.
Called on to protect a 4-1 mega lead, Djokovic, however, completely loses support with his backhand out of service and gets Tsitsipas back on track with a double fault. The Greek restored parity at 4-4 but made a very serious mistake, again with his right foot, at the ninth point of the tie break.
Also in the configuration phase. Again called to close the accounts with the available serve, Djokovic is not distracted. After a short pit break to change, Djokovic leaves service on the road. A little bad. The Serbian quickly regained the disadvantage and in a set regularized almost entirely by serve, he again broke the balance in the decisive game.
After a first win, he made it 2-0 with a splendid forehand return and then took advantage of a rude mistake at the start of the Greek’s serve. Djokovic doesn’t immediately take advantage of a 5-0 lead, but he gets out of trouble with a splendid backhand solution at 5-3 and closes the matter on the first useful match point.
Below the match point:
🠆 🠆 🠆 🠆 🠆 CHAMPION 🠆 🠆 🠆 🠆 🠆@DjokerNole has dominated Melbourne for the TENTH time!
@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/ZThnTrIXdt — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2023
