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Novak Djokovic has claimed a record-equaling 22nd grand slam singles crown with a near-perfect 10-out-of-10 Australian Open ultimate overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Djokovic preserved his aura of invincibility on Rod Laver Area to see off Tsitsipas 6-Three 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) in a briefly aggressive however finally anticlimactic championship decider on Sunday night time.
The straight-sets however not all the time stress-free victory drew Djokovic degree with Rafael Nadal on the boys’s all-time grand slam titles leaderboard and secured the tennis super-Novak a record-extending 10th trophy at Melbourne Park.
The 35-year-old joins 14-time French Open champion Nadal as solely the second man to win the identical slam on at the very least 10 events.
Unbeaten nonetheless in finals on RLA and with out a defeat in 41 matches in Australia since 2018, Djokovic didn’t want his father’s courtside assist to take one other large stride in direction of sporting immortality.
Srdjan Djokovic was conspicuously absent from the champion’s field, regardless of being given the inexperienced mild to attend the ultimate after being swept up in one thing of a global incident by posing with pro-Russian followers on the event final week.
He’ll you’ll want to be part of the after get together, although, after his son accomplished a triumphant and tumultuous return to his happiest grand slam looking floor following final yr’s dramatic deportation from Australia on the eve of his 2021 Open protection.
The good Rod Laver was fittingly entrance and heart with the most effective view in the home named in his honor for the Serb’s newest history-making act.
Along with the spoils, information and the $2.975 million winner’s cheque, Djokovic may also return to world No.1 on Monday, for a seventh stint atop the rankings, after as soon as once more denying Tsitsipas an elusive maiden main and the prospect to scale the summit himself for the primary time.
Djokovic additionally beat Tsitsipas within the 2021 French Open decider.
This time, although, the Serb was not compelled to get well from two units down after dominating the third seed for a lot of the match.
After seizing the opening set with the lone break within the fourth sport, and looking out totally untroubled on his personal serve, Djokovic was briefly rattled late within the second stanza.
Storming the web with success, after being completely bossed from the baseline, Tsitsipas long-established a set level within the 10th sport just for Djokovic to put it aside with a forehand winner.
Alternative misplaced, Tsitsipas fell two units behind after Djokovic sealed the tiebreaker and assumed whole command when the Greek flayed a forehand broad.
And when Tsitsipas relinquished an early break within the third set, then surrendered one other tiebreaker, it was sport, set and match Djokovic after two hours and 55 minutes.
-AAP
