MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – A very different Australian Open Championship ended in familiarity yesterday, with Novak Djokovic crowning champion for a ninth time extending a record and Serbian fans praising a unilateral victory over another potential challenger in Daniil Medvedev.
A 7-5 6-2 6-2 world win on his favorite court secured his 18th Grand Camp title, bringing him within touching reach of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal’s all-time men’s record of 20.
“I would like to thank Rod Laver Arena. I love you every year more and more. It’s been a love affair that continues to grow. Thank you, ”said Djokovic as he cradled the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup once again.
With a fortune spent to host a biosecure tournament in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Djokovic caught the Grand Slam on fire after offending the Australian public for petitioning organizers to relieve quarantine conditions for players.
He suffered a painful abdominal injury during the first week and had to manage it through the second.
But those challenges were met with roaring his fans as he traversed Medvedev’s fourth seed in an arthpit atmosphere.
“It was definitely the most challenging Grand Slam I’ve ever had with everything going on, injury, out of court stuff, quarantines,” he said.
“It’s been, to say the least, a roller-coaster ride in the last four weeks.”
Much like Dominic Thiem in last year’s final, Djokovic faced a desperate opponent for a seat at the Grand Slam table.
Unlike Thiem, who pushed Djokovic to five sets, Medvedev never threatened in his second major final.
Djokovic mocked the Russian’s 20-game winning streak and his pre-match marble put all the pressure on the champion.
He broke it seven times and closed the one-sided fight with a net rush and a great jump volley.
After extending his unbeaten record in nine finals at Melbourne Park, Djokovic took victory and wrapped his team in a group hug.
Nadal is the only man to win more titles in a single Grand Slam, with his 13 at the French Open. By now, Djokovic has won six prestigious post-30s, matching Nadal’s record.
Djokovic had said before the game that Medvedev was the man to beat but it all seemed like mental games when the Serb shot out to a 3-0 lead.
Medvedev rose to 3-3, though, edging Djokovic in fierce baseline exchanges.
Djokovic changed tactics, pulling the Russian into the net, his least favorite part of the court.
FURNITURE MEDVEDEV
The ploy paid off as Djokovic ripped a back-to-back pass shot for three set points and took it when a glowing Medvedev knocked a handgun into the net.
While Medvedev defeated Djokovic early in the second set, the Russian put the break back with a game full of errors.
Play was briefly suspended mid-point at 2-1 after a protester pushed “release the refugees” during play before being deported.
Medvedev then dropped a rushing serve and crushed his racket in rage after Djokovic marched on to a 5-2 lead.
The crowd grew uncontrollable and were repeatedly yelled at by the chair umpire as Medvedev sank deeper into a funk.
He slapped a longhand to surrender two set points before being nearly knocked off his feet by Djokovic’s return.
Worse was to come for Medvedev as he was cut twice in a row, a weak volley into the net giving Djokovic a 3-0 lead in the third set.
With trepidation threatening, Medvedev rocked hard in a final stand but found no way through Djokovic’s stone wall defense.
After winning an epic rally to be within a game of victory, Djokovic threw an icy stare at the Russian and tapped his temple as he walked to his chair before closing it out.
Medvedev was left to give another chance after going begging, after losing to Rafa Nadal in a five-set thriller at the 2019 United States Open.
He compared the Big Three of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer with “Cyborgs of tennis, in a good way.”
“I guess he’s King Djokovic (Djokovic), even if I don’t like these words. What else can we say? He won here nine out of nine times. ”