Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open, 22nd Slam

Novak Djokovic recovered this travel to Australia acold little complicated, and acold much successful, than that of a twelvemonth ago.

Unable to participate his champion lawsuit successful 2022 aft being deported from the state due to the fact that helium was not vaccinated against Covid-19, Djokovic accomplished each helium could person wanted successful his return: He resumed his winning ways astatine Melbourne Park and made it backmost to the apical of tennis.

Only concisely challenged successful the last connected Sunday night, Djokovic was simply amended astatine the astir important moments and bushed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam rubric overall. As a bonus, Djokovic volition vault from No. 5 to No. 1 successful the ATP rankings, a spot helium already has held for much weeks than immoderate different man.

"I privation to accidental this has been 1 of the astir challenging tournaments I've ever played successful my life, considering the circumstances. Not playing past year; coming backmost this year," Djokovic said, wearing a zip-up achromatic overgarment with a "22" connected his chest. "And I privation to convey each the radical that made maine consciousness welcome, made maine consciousness comfortable, to beryllium successful Melbourne, to beryllium successful Australia."

And a infinitesimal later, helium uttered a connection that is genuinely significant, fixed each the 35-year-old from Serbia has done connected a tennis court: "This astir apt is the, I would say, biggest triumph of my life."

Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak successful Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest tally determination successful the Open era, which dates to 1968. He adds trophy No. 10 to the 7 from Wimbledon, 3 from the U.S. Open — wherever helium besides was absent past twelvemonth due to the fact that of nary coronavirus shots — and 2 astatine the French Open, to lucifer rival Rafael Nadal for the astir by a man.

Only 2 women — Margaret Court, with 24, and Serena Williams, with 23 — are up of him.

This was besides the 93rd ATP tour-level rubric for Djokovic, breaking a necktie with Nadal for the fourth-most.

"I would similar to convey you for pushing our athletics truthful far," Tsitsipas told Djokovic.

Djokovic was participating successful his 33rd large final, Tsitsipas successful his 2nd — and the 24-year-old from Greece's different 1 besides ended successful a nonaccomplishment to Djokovic, astatine the 2021 French Open.

Superior passim connected this chill evening nether a cloud-filled sky, Djokovic was particularly truthful successful the 2 tiebreakers. He took a 4-1 pb successful the first, past reeled disconnected the past 3 points. He led 5-0 successful the closing tiebreaker and, erstwhile it finished, helium pointed to his temple earlier climbing into the stands, wherever helium pumped his fist and jumped with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and different members of the entourage, past collapsed, crying.

When Djokovic returned to the playing surface, helium sat connected his sideline bench, buried his look successful a achromatic towel, and sobbed immoderate more.

Little uncertainty this is of nary solace to Tsitsipas, but determination is nary shame successful failing to decision Djokovic successful Melbourne. Challenging his dominion connected those bluish hard courts is each spot the monumental task that taking connected Nadal connected the reddish clay astatine Roland Garros is.

Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was consenting to prosecute successful the benignant of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. How did that enactment out? Of points lasting astatine slightest 5 strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30.

Then again, connected those uncommon occasions that Tsitsipas did complaint the net, helium apt regretted the decision, due to the fact that Djokovic often conjured up a passing changeable that was excessively pugnacious to handle.

The trophy for which they were playing was displayed connected a pedestal adjacent a country of the court, and some men would get wrong scope of it whenever wandering implicit to towel disconnected betwixt points astatine that end. So close, yes, but for Tsitsipas, ne'er genuinely adjacent enough.

It's not arsenic though helium played each that poorly, different than a rash of aboriginal miscues that seemed to beryllium much a merchandise of hostility than anything.

It's that Djokovic was, enactment simply, excessively unyielding. Too close with his strokes, making simply 22 unforced errors, 20 less than his foe. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than connected 1 second-set point, when, moving to his left, Djokovic took a tumble).

Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes immoderate more, until it's the hostile who is thing little than cleanable connected 1 swing, either missing oregon providing an opening to pounce.

That's what happened erstwhile Tsitsipas held his archetypal interruption constituent — which was besides a acceptable constituent — portion up 5-4 successful the 2nd and Djokovic serving astatine 30-40. Might this beryllium a fulcrum? Might the outcome's tilt change? Might Djokovic relent? Might Tsitsipas surge?

Uh, no.

A 15-stroke constituent concluded with Djokovic smacking a cross-court forehand victor that felt similar a statement. Two misses by Tsitsipas followed: A backhand long, a forehand wide. Those felt similar capitulation. Even erstwhile Tsitsipas really did interruption successful the third, Djokovic broke close back.

There has been much than forehands and backhands connected Djokovic's caput implicit the past 2 weeks.

There was the not-so-small substance of past year's ineligible saga — helium has alternately acknowledged the full happening served arsenic a signifier of information but besides said the different day, "I'm implicit it" — and curiosity astir the benignant of reception helium would get erstwhile allowed to spell to Australia this clip due to the fact that pandemic restrictions were eased.

He heard a ton of large support, but besides dealt with immoderate persistent heckling portion competing, including applause aft faults Sunday.

There was the sore near hamstring that has been heavy bandaged for each lucifer — until the final, that is, erstwhile lone a azygous portion of beige diversion portion was visible.

And past determination was the much analyzable substance of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a radical of radical with Russian flags — 1 with an representation of Vladimir Putin — aft Djokovic's quarterfinal. The tourney banned spectators from bringing successful flags of Russia oregon Belarus, saying they would origin disruption due to the fact that of the ongoing penetration of Ukraine. Djokovic and his begetter said it was a misunderstanding; Srdjan thought helium was with Serbian fans.

Still, Srdjan Djokovic did not be his son's semifinal oregon the final.

No substance immoderate of it, Djokovic excelled arsenic helium truthful often has, winning 17 sets successful a enactment aft ceding 1 successful the 2nd circular past week.

"He is the greatest," Tsitsipas said, "that has ever held a tennis racket."