Novak Djokovic

Serb equals Nadal record a year after Australia deportation and says: 'Only my team and family know what I have been through'

In the end we have a happy ending,” Djokovic said. After the final, Djokovic broke down in tears while embracing his team in his player box. Despite dealing with a hamstring issue since the start of the tournament, Djokovic dropped just one set in his seven matches.

Novak Djokovic made history once again Sunday when he clinched a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

“It [was] just a huge pride and satisfaction that I feel at the moment,” Djokovic said. [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) title aged 20 in 2008 before he rose to No. “Then it was just a matter of survival every single match, trying to take it to the next round. “Of course, when I went into my box, I just think emotionally collapsed there and teared up with my mother and my brother, when I gave them a hug. Of course, it makes me incredibly proud, but it also is a huge relief because it hasn't been smooth sailing, so to say, on and off the court in the last three to four weeks.” [Novak Djokovic](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview) made history once again Sunday when he clinched a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title at the [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview). I don't have intentions to stop here. Of course, 35 is not 25, even though I want to believe it is. The Serbian produced a ruthless display to overcome [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/overview), rising to No. I really don't want to stop here. “I never really liked comparing myself to others, but of course it's a privilege to be part of the discussion as one of the greatest players of all time. If people see me this way, of course it's very flattering because I know that I give as much effort and energy into trying to win slams as anybody else.

Djokovic is now tied for the men's record of most grand slam wins.

Djokovic and his father said Srdjan thought he was with Serbian fans. “And I want to thank all the people that made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable, to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia.” Keep in mind: It’s not as though Tsitsipas played all that poorly, other than a rash of early miscues that seemed to be more a product of tension than anything. He took a 4-1 lead in the first, then reeled off the last three points. Yet Djokovic accomplished all he could have possibly wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis, declaring: “This probably is the, I would say, biggest victory of my life.” “I did everything possible,” said Tsitsipas, who also would have moved to No. 10 to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Two misses by Tsitsipas followed: A backhand long, a forehand wide. The 35-year-old from Serbia stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run there in the Open era, which dates to 1968. Might Djokovic relent? Open — where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots — and two from the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man. 1 in the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for more weeks than any other man

He's back on top of the world after winning a record-equalling 22nd grand slam men's singles crown, but the Serb says he's not the tennis' best ever yet.

“Being absent from the children is not something that makes me very happy. “But I feel like I gave my best really and I'm still doing that. I feel like it's difficult to have a conversation about this because every generation is different. [Father of Novak Djokovic free to attend men’s Australian Open final](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis/300794936/father-of-novak-djokovic-free-to-attend-mens-australian-open-final?rm=a) [Australian Open: Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 22nd slam](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis/300794997/australian-open-novak-djokovic-beats-stefanos-tsitsipas-to-win-22nd-slam?rm=a) [snaring his 10th Australian Open crown at Melbourne Park](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis/300794997/australian-open-novak-djokovic-beats-stefanos-tsitsipas-to-win-22nd-slam?rm=a).

Deported a year ago and unable to play in 2022's first Grand Slam tournament, Djokovic deeply felt this major title, his 22nd, calling it “a huge relief.”

A little more than a year ago, he and Ivanisevic were at Melbourne Airport, being escorted to their plane out of the country. 1 for the first time with a first major title, did not look quite as crestfallen as he did after losing a two-set lead to Djokovic in the 2021 French Open final. “I think tennis is in good hands with great characters, great personalities and great players, but we’re still not going anywhere.” He and Nadal, who won the Australian Open in Djokovic’s absence last year, are back in a tie with 22 Grand Slam singles titles apiece. Like Federer, whose wife Mirka’s support on the home front and on the road with their young children allowed him to compete successfully on tour into his late 30s, Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, is giving him the same flexibility with their young son and daughter. And however full circle it all felt in Melbourne on Sunday night, Djokovic is hardly done searching for more titles, more ways to win. But the reality for Tsitsipas is that Djokovic won that first Grand Slam title in 2008 in Melbourne at age 20 and won four more majors before he turned 25. Instead, whether he realized it or not, he tried to take a page on Sunday night from Djokovic’s early-career playbook: when the Serb was getting beaten repeatedly by more established champions like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic explained that his father had intended to celebrate with Serbian fans as he had been doing throughout the tournament. “Look, a lot of people doubted and still doubt that I was injured,” he said, explaining that he would provide evidence at some stage. “I would like to have a quieter life,” she said. With the Australian Open title and the No.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park.

Both Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding, based on Srdjan thinking he was with a group of Serbian fans. Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. Too dangerous with his returns and damaging enough with his serves. Too accurate with his strokes – making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe – and anticipation. Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30, He was superior throughout against Tsitsipas, but especially so in the two tiebreakers. Challenging his dominion on those blue hard courts is every bit the monumental task that taking on Nadal on the red clay at Roland Garros is. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble). Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second – and the 24-year-old from Greece’s other one also ended in a loss to Djokovic, at the 2021 French Open. He adds trophy No 10 there to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the US Open – where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots – and two at the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history. [Covid-19](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus), Djokovic accomplished all he could have wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of [tennis](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis). Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run at the tournament for a man in the Open era, which dates to 1968.

The Serb defeated Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas at Melbourne for his 22nd Grand Slam crown,

The Serbian tennis pro defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, earning the men's singles title over three sets.

He currently holds more Australian Open titles that any other player, male or female, and continues a winning streak after claiming his [seventh Wimbledon title](https://www.vogue.com/article/novak-djokovic-wimbledon-2022-win) against Nick Kyrgios in 2022. Today’s match marked Djokovic’s 33rd major final and Tsitsipas’s second; the Greek player lost his other major final, at the 2021 French Open, to Djokovic as well. His win today marks Djokovic’s 22nd Grand Slam—a record that he shares with Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal.

The Serbian won a record 10th Australian Open title on Sunday with a 6-3 7-6 7-6 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. It continued his remarkable streak of winning ...

“A lot of that has been given to Roger and Rafa. And he has driven the sport equally because he’s been the sport equally because he’s been the antagoniser. “I haven’t done this but I’d like to thank you for pushing our sport so far.

Djokovic won't be pinned down on what he has left. Nor should he. Like Federer, like Nadal, like Williams, he can play as long as he pleases, writes Howard ...

As it is, Djokovic won 10 of the last 19 majors — Nadal has a half-dozen of those — and no one collected more after turning 30. “But I still feel there is time ahead of me. Of course, 35 is not 25, even though I want to believe it is,” Djokovic said. He dealt with a sore left hamstring, and was fine, dropping one set along the way to the title. “Definitely two, three more years,” said Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion who has coached Djokovic since 2019. “I don’t see this as a curse. I don’t have intention to stop here,” the 35-year-old Djokovic said after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas, a man more than a decade his junior, by a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) score in the final at Melbourne Park. I don’t see this as something, like, annoying,” Tsitsipas continued. I know that when I’m feeling good physically, (and) mentally present, I have a chance to win any Slam against anybody.” He returned to Australia with some trepidation, unsure of what sort of reception awaited a year after he was deported for not being vaccinated against COVID-19, and was fine. “I still have lots of motivation. I really don’t want to stop here.

Despite drama over a hamstring injury, a scandal regarding his father's behavior, and criticism of his vaccination status, the Serbian great took home the ...

In set three, with Djokovic serving at 6–5 in the tiebreak—championship point—he drove a forehand to Tsitsipas’s forehand corner, and Tsitsipas, on the stretch, sailed one last forehand long. Did he arrive with that wounded sense he seems at times to cultivate, the sense of being slighted, disrespected? That means, come March, unless he gets vaccinated, he cannot play Indian Wells or the Miami Open, two of the tour’s biggest hard-court events. Then, late last week, a video emerged of Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, celebrating a quarterfinal Djokovic victory Wednesday night with fans on the Australian Open grounds. Interestingly, Djokovic chose to test it from the opening moments of the match—sending ball after ball toward Tsitsipas’s forehand wing, varying pace, height, spin, and depth, drawing surprising errors even in routine mid-court rallies, and, perhaps, wearing down Tsitsipas’s confidence in the shot that he is most confident of. What tension there was to the match occurred in the tiebreaks that ended the second and third sets. In both of them, Djokovic established early leads but tightened up—the crowd support for Tsitsipas from Melbourne’s sizable Greek community seemed to get to him, especially in that first tiebreak—and let Tsitsipas back in. Djokovic held comfortably the first two times he served—his serving throughout the tournament was superb, and, in turn, he put relentless pressure on Tsitsipas’s serve—and he earned two break points (but failed to convert them) the first time Tsitsipas served. Tsitsipas’s best shot is his forehand, a long, flowing, often punishing one that is among the best in the game. [Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/what-makes-carlos-alcaraz-so-good), who is injured and was forced to skip the Australian Open.) A Djokovic triumph, more often than not, is a methodical grind, an exercise in inevitability. The tone of the match was set in its very first minutes. It should take nothing away from that achievement to note that professional tennis, in the Open era that began in 1968, has come to be played mostly on hard courts, and that those who play on the men’s tour have mostly built games—big serves, big forehands—to win on hard surfaces.

Novak Djokovic has claimed his 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title over the weekend. This gives him the same amount of.

For almost two decades, we have become accustomed to Novak Djokovic winning grand slams. But seeing the world No. 1 sobbing on the floor as he celebrated ...

I don’t say 100%, but 97% of the players, on Saturday when you get results of the MRI, you go straight to the referee office and pull out of the tournament. Of course, 35 is not 25, even though I want to believe it is. I don’t have intention to stop here,” he said. In the end, we have a happy ending.” But he was throughout the entire tournament, so it’s fine. That was the whole conversation. “I could see that he’s a bit sad. “We both agreed it would probably be better that he is not there. “So it was not easy for him. Last year, Djokovic was unable to defend his title after being deported from the country over his Covid-19 vaccination status. The victory also returned him to the world No. 1 sobbing on the floor as he celebrated his [Australian Open victory](http://www.cnn.com/2023/01/28/tennis/novak-djokovic-stefanos-tsitsipas-australian-open-final-preview-spt-intl/index.html) with his family and team was a first.

Novak Djokovic has returned to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after winning his 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas hails the Serb as the "greatest ever" after being beaten in straight sets in a one-sided final at Melbourne Park.

Both Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding, based on Srdjan thinking he was with a group of Serbian fans. Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. Too dangerous with his returns and damaging enough with his serves. Too accurate with his strokes – making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe – and anticipation. Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30, He was superior throughout against Tsitsipas, but especially so in the two tiebreakers. Challenging his dominion on those blue hard courts is every bit the monumental task that taking on Nadal on the red clay at Roland Garros is. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble). Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second – and the 24-year-old from Greece’s other one also ended in a loss to Djokovic, at the 2021 French Open. He adds trophy No 10 there to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the US Open – where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots – and two at the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history. [Covid-19](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus), Djokovic accomplished all he could have wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of [tennis](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis). Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run at the tournament for a man in the Open era, which dates to 1968.

Novak Djokovic has made plenty of Pepperstone ATP Rankings history, holding the record for weeks in top spot (373) and year-end No. 1 finishes (7).

[Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview). [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/overview) had an opportunity to climb to the top spot, but fell one victory short. [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) title Sunday, Djokovic will return to World No. 1 in the If the Serbian maintains top spot through the week of 27 February, he will break Graf's mark. He will be 875 points behind Djokovic. 5 to World No. 1 through the week of 20 February, he will tie Stefanie Graf's record for most weeks as World No. The Serbian will climb from World No. [Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview) [Pete Sampras](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/pete-sampras/s402/overview) [Andre Agassi](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/andre-agassi/a092/overview) [Carlos Moya](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-moya/m605/overview) On Monday, the Serbian will rewrite the record books again. 1 finishes (7).

His four-place rise to replace Carlos Alcaraz at No. 1 is the largest jump to the top spot in the 50-year history of the computerised rankings for men's ...

25 to No. 3 to No. 4 to No. 2 to No. Alcaraz slid to No. He had become the youngest man to be No. 5 to a career-best-equalling No. 10, up from No. Nadal, who hurt his left hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States, dropped from No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 3, followed by No. His four-place rise from No.

Novak Djokovic posed with the Australian Open trophy in the gardens of Melbourne's Government House on Monday after claiming a record-extending 10th title ...

Just hours after fulfilling his media duties deep into the night, Djokovic headed to the gardens of Government House, the official residence of the Governor of Victoria, for the 2023 champion’s photoshoot with the [Norman Brookes](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/norman-brookes/bq52/overview) Challenge Cup. Djokovic on Monday began a record-extending 374th week as No. “The morning after always feels great,” Djokovic said on Instagram. [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) in 2008,” he said. [Rafael Nadal](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rafael-nadal/n409/overview)’s record of major titles with a straight-sets victory against [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/overview) on [Rod Laver](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rod-laver/l058/overview) Arena. [Novak Djokovic](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview)’s record-extending 10th [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) triumph on Sunday, celebrations of the Serbian’s historic achievements rolled over to Monday morning in Melbourne.