MELBOURNE, Australia – Maybe, just maybe, the thought went, Novak Djokovic would be just a little more sensitive to problems this time at the Australian Open.
After all, he broke an abdominal muscle in the third round and was not sure he would be able to continue competing. Entering Sunday, Djokovic lost five sets in the tournament, the most he ever missed on the way to a major final. And to top it all off, he faces Daniil Medvedev, the owner of a 20-match winning streak.
Yeah sure. We are talking about Djokovic at Melbourne Park, where his dominance is certainly intact – nine finals, nine championships. In addition, he still wins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam standings, now up to 18 overall, two shy men from the men’s record that those rivals have.
Djokovic used an improved serve, along with the usual return and basic excellence to get 11 of 13 games in a single stretch and defeated Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 for the third consecutive trophy of the season. Australian Open.
“Certainly, emotionally, the most challenging Grand Slam I’ve ever had, with everything that happens – injuries, extrajudicial things, quarantine,” Djokovic said. “A roller coaster ride.”
When the match was over after less than two hours, Djokovic went to the sidelines, took off his white shirt and took out pieces of beige athletic tape from his stomach.
“I was quite worried,” Djokovic said of the injury. “I didn’t (think) realistically that I could actually play. I only knew two hours before the fourth round match. ”
Given what he called “bearable” pain, Djokovic improved to a combined 18-0 semi-final and final score on Melbourne’s tough ground.
“It’s probably not your last,” Medvedev said. “I have no words to say.”
Djokovic, a 33-year-old from Serbia, has won six of the last 10 majors and will remain in 1st place in the standings at least until March 8. This will give him 311 weeks there, taking down another trademark owned by Federer.
His goals are now on the Grand Slam, even more so than before.
He puts Djokovic’s nine triumphs in Australia, along with five at Wimbledon, three at the US Open and one at the French Open. Math looks good for him: he’s about a year younger than Nadal and 6 1/2 years younger than Federer.
“I enjoy success more and more,” said Djokovic, “because I know that the more time passes, the more difficult it will become.”
Medvedev, number 4, appeared in his second Slam final; was Nadal’s runner-up at the 2019 US Open.
The 25-year-old from Russia had won 12 in a row against the top 10 opponents, but trying to solve Djokovic in Australia is a unique challenge.
“It’s great to read an opponent’s game,” Medvedev said, “knowing what you’re going to do next, how to win.”
As things slipped away, Medvedev jumped the white rocket off the blue ground, then completely destroyed it with a full point. He continued to look up at his coach with his palms up as if to ask, “What can I do here?”
It’s a familiar feeling in this stadium: Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem – all Grand Slam champions, all defeated by Djokovic in the semifinals or finals in Melbourne.
On a cool and cloudy evening, an event was delayed three weeks due to the closed coronavirus pandemic with an announced attendance of 7,426 at Rod Laver Arena. Spectators were blocked five days earlier in the tournament due to a COVID-19 blockage, but were eventually left with a 50% capacity.
“There are a lot of mixed feelings about what happened in the last month or so with tennis players coming to Australia,” Djokovic said. “But I think when we draw a line at the end, it was a successful tournament for the organizers.”
And for him.
Medvedev’s flat advance, wrapped with a rocket around his neck, was initially blurred, missing wide, long and in the net in the first 10 minutes. Djokovic scored 13 of the match’s 16 starting points and advanced quickly 3-0. Pretty soon, though, it was 3-all, then 5-all.
But then Djokovic stepped up and Medvedev backed down. Djokovic fell in love, then broke to claim the set, when Medvedev slapped the net even after someone in the crowd called during the point.
Djokovic started the second set with a mistake in the net, then shook his left arm and flexed his shoulders. This point ended with the fact that he missed a backhand in the net and looked at the guest box. Another cleared backhand gave Medvedev a break.
But the difference in extreme experience was shown there. Medvedev immediately gave up the next two service games. In total, Djokovic broke seven times and made only 17 unforced errors at 30 for Medvedev.
“A masterpiece,” said Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion who is one of Djokovic’s coaches.
Medvedev appeared to have a tiny opening at 4-2 in the third, reaching 15-30 on Djokovic’s serve with a direct winner and signaling to the crowd to make noise. As if looking at this as a personal insult, Djokovic took the next three points and played, then pointed his index finger straight at his temple and gritted his teeth.
It’s over soon.
“Coming to Australia always brings me that extra dose of confidence,” Djokovic said, “because of my track record here and the way I play.”