Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open dominance is unbroken _ 9 finals, 9 championships.
And he retains gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal within the Grand Slam standings, now as much as 18 general, two away from the lads’s file shared by his two rivals.
Djokovic used very good serving and his normal relentless returning and baseline excellence to seize 11 of 13 video games in a single stretch and beat a visibly pissed off Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday for a 3rd trophy in a row at Melbourne Park.
The 33-year-old from Serbia improved to 18-Zero mixed in semifinals and finals on the exhausting courts of the Australian Open.
Collectively once more 🏆@DjokerNole | #AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/1nlI60NyE9
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
Trying on the greater image, Djokovic has received six of the final 10 main tournaments and is assured of remaining at No. 1 within the rankings at the least by March 8. That can give him 311 weeks within the prime spot, breaking a mark held by Federer.
The No. 4-ranked Medvedev was showing in his second Grand Slam ultimate _ he was the runner-up to Nadal on the 2019 U.S. Open _ however continues to be left making an attempt acquire his first such championship.
Djokovic ended the 25-year-old Russian’s 20-match successful streak. Medvedev additionally had received his earlier 12 matches in opposition to Prime 10 opponents.
A bond that may by no means be damaged 💙@DjokerNole x @RodLaverArena #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/GH3mSr65dT
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
However going up in opposition to Djokovic in Australia is a a lot totally different problem.
By the second set, as issues slipped away, Medvedev bounced his white racket off the blue courtroom, then completely destroyed it with a full-on spike. By the third, he stored trying up at his coach with palms up as if to ask, “What can I presumably do right here?”
“The man [@DjokerNole] was a god for me.”
Story time with our #AO2021 runner-up, @DaniilMedwed 📚👏#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/OSoW8HLuJS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
It’s a acquainted sentiment on this stadium, on this courtroom, at this event. Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem _ all Grand Slam champions, all defeated by Djokovic in semifinals or finals in Melbourne.
So place the 9 triumphs in Australia alongside 5 at Wimbledon, three on the U.S. Open and one on the French Open for Djokovic.
The mathematics seems to be good for Djokovic. He’s a couple of 12 months youthful than Nadal and 6 half youthful than Federer, who turns 40 in August. Federer hasn’t competed in additional than a 12 months after having two knee operations however is predicted to show to the tour subsequent month.
𝑀𝒶𝒿𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒸 𝒾𝓃 𝑀𝑒𝓁𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝑒
The second @DjokerNole claims his ninth #AusOpen title.#AO2021 pic.twitter.com/2sQVBGF0Wv
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
On a cool, cloudy night, an occasion delayed three weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic concluded with an introduced attendance of seven,426 at Rod Laver Enviornment. Spectators have been barred completely for 5 days earlier within the event due to an area COVID-19 lockdown, however they ultimately have been let again in at 50% capability.
A majority favored Djokovic on Sunday, so loads of choruses of his nickname rang out _ “No-le, No-le, No-le!” _ and Serbian flags dotted the stands, flapping in a swirling breeze.
Medvedev’s flat, wrap-the-racket-around-his-neck forehand was iffy at first, lacking extensive, lengthy and into the web within the preliminary 10 minutes. Djokovic grabbed 13 of the match’s preliminary 16 factors and a fast 3-Zero lead.
The facility and the eagerness 🔥@DjokerNole | #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/M0oBUTH8Xf
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
Quickly sufficient, although, it was 3-all, as a result of Medvedev cleaned up his errors, whereas Djokovic faltered a bit, getting damaged after a sport through which he flubbed a drop shot, then an overhead, essentially the most obtrusive _ solely? _ weak spot in his sport.
However from 5-all, Djokovic stepped up, and Medvedev stepped again. Djokovic held at love, then broke to say the set when Medvedev slapped a forehand into the web simply after somebody within the crowd referred to as out through the level.
There have been frequent prolonged exchanges on the baseline, each males able to protecting the courtroom effectively sufficient to swallow up one another’s potential point-ending photographs. Medvedev hardly ever strayed from the again of the courtroom except lured ahead by one in every of Djokovic’s comparatively frequent drop photographs.
A second in #AusOpen historical past 🏆💙@DjokerNole | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/QnyGXKYM3Q
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
Djokovic started the second set with a fault into the web, then shook out his left arm and flexed his shoulders. That time ended with him lacking a backhand into the web, and he hunched up his shoulders and stared over at his visitor field. One other netted backhand gifted Medvedev a break and a 1-Zero lead.
Indicators of hassle? Not for lengthy.
There might need been purpose to imagine Djokovic was only a tad extra prone this time round.
To start with, he wrenched his midsection throughout a slip within the third spherical in opposition to American Taylor Fritz; after that win, Djokovic mentioned he had torn a muscle, however by the point he performed his semifinal, he declared himself pain-free.
Plus, coming into Sunday, Djokovic already had ceded 5 units by six matches, essentially the most he had dropped in any Grand Slam event en path to a ultimate.
This was his 28th main ultimate, even with Nadal for the second-most by a person in tennis historical past, trailing Federer’s 31.
The intense expertise hole actually appeared to point out. One instance: Medvedev instantly gave again that early break within the second set by relinquishing two of his personal service video games back-to-back.
“Class act.” 💯
Right here, right here @DjokerNole 👏@DaniilMedwed | #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/R1aHehylbY
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021
Djokovic broke in half of Medvedev’s 14 service video games, received 73% of the factors when his personal first serves went in and 58% on seconds. And Djokovic performed so cleanly, with simply 17 unforced errors; Medvedev made 13.
When it ended, after fewer than two hours, Djokovic dropped to his again on the courtroom, limbs splayed. He has mentioned he feels at residence on the place, and he isn’t able to relinquish possession.
