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Novak Djokovic won his 23rd Grand Slam and his 10th Australian Open Sunday.
Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. He now ties Rafael Nadal for the most major tournament wins in a career.
His night. His court. His trophy. His legacy.@DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/1tC4Foanm1
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2023
Battling Adversity
Djokovic entered the 2023 Australian Open with some serious concerns. After being sent home a year ago for refusal to get vaccinated, he said this was one of the most challenging tournaments in his career.
He set a new record for most consecutive wins at the Australian Open. However, more controversy loomed over Djokovic entering the final Sunday. Djokovic’s father decided to miss his son’s semifinal match against American Tommy Paul after protests erupted due to him taking photos with fans waving the Russian flag.
'Long Live Russia!’: Tension Grips Aus Open After Novak Djokovic's Father Poses With Russian Flag pic.twitter.com/VgkxSUNAel
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 27, 2023
Tsitsipas Anticipated Revenge
Djokovic has often gotten the best of the Greek superstar. In their 12 matches played, Djokovic has won 10. Although, Tsitsipas came into the Australian Open ranked one spot higher than Djokovic and was considered a heavy favorite.
Tsitsipas was looking for his first Grand Slam title in his career but came up just short.
https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1619674410423848962?s=20&t=4zIAWdiUT7LIWpVSyLmlfw
Post-Match Praise
It was more of the same Sunday, as Djokovic defeated Tsitsipas in just three sets. But he gave great credit to the young tennis phenom.
Both the second and third sets came down to one game, but Djokovic came out victorious earning him his 10th career Australian Open. There is speculation about whether the 35-year-old, who started his professional career 19 years ago, will retire soon.
Tsitsipas was not mincing words. He described the impact Djokovic had on his game and the overall influence on the game of tennis.
