Djokovic wins 10th Australian Open title, moves up to World Number One

Novak Djokovic has won a record 10th Australian Open title after beating Stefanos Tsitispas in a game of three sets in the finals on Sunday. Djokovic, who now has the most Grand Slam final appearances (33), finished the final round with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) victory over his Greek opponent. 

With the win, Djokovic has now won his 22nd Grand Slam title, tying him with Rafael Nadal for the men with the most Grand Slam titles. The victory also means he has never lost a game in Australia for the past 5 years, excluding 2022, when he did not play after he was deported from the country. 

But above all, Sunday’s victory would see Djokovic reclaim the world number one position on the ATP Ranking, a position he lost after he was unable to play in Melbourne last year. 

Sunday’s game saw Djokovic end the tournament on a high note, as he only dropped one set throughout. The match marked the second time Djokovic and Tsitsipas would meet at a Grand Slam final, and while Tsitsipas performed better than he did at the final of the 2021 French Open, he still was not able to snatch victory form the veteran. The 24-year-old fought real bad in the second and third set, saving two championship points in the process. But it was not enough to stop Djokovic from going home with the title. 

After his victory, Djokovic lay on the players’ box for a while, sobbing, before making his way to celebrate with his family members present. The Serbian describe the victory as the. Ingest in his life, “considering the circumstances.”

He said: “This has been one of the most challenging tournaments I’ve ever played in my life. Not playing last year, coming back this year. I want to thank all the people that made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia.

“There’s a reason I’ve played my best tennis on this court. Only my team and my family know what we’ve been through in the last four, five weeks. This probably is the biggest victory in my life, considering the circumstances.”

Tsitsipas, in his turn, described Djokovic as a great player, acknowledging his achievement in his sport. He then added that he would be back for more on the court.

Leon Osamor