Djokovic redeems himself against Tsitsipas in his Melbourne Eden and equals Nadal's 22 grand

A year ago,

after his sterile and stubborn battle to play the tournament without being vaccinated against the covid, Novak Djokovic lay like an outlaw, with no other alternative than to endure how Rafael Nadal did one of his in the final of the tournament to win an impossible match against Daniil Medvedev and stick his head between the three players who then shared the roof of history, achieving his twenty-first Grand Slam title on a stage that seemed reserved exclusively for him.

This Sunday, with his 6-3, 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (5) victory in two hours and 56 minutes against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic culminated his golden return to Melbourne with the conquest of his tenth title, which also means the twenty-second Grand Slam and opening his fifth stage as number 1 in the world.

and is already at the level of Nadal in the vibrant struggle that both maintain to end their career with more titles of the highest hierarchy.

It is also the 93rd tournament in the overall number of successes, and one more than the Spanish one.

Much of the luck of the match depended on how far Tsitsipas managed to find his forehand early so he could dominate the exchanges.

He had done it with ease throughout the tournament, but this time

, capable of making him uncomfortable at the beginning of the play.

In his second appearance in the final of a

, the Greek, who lost the first at Roland Garros 2021 precisely against Djokovic, after having a two-set lead, was suffocated from the start by an opponent who intimidated him for the most part. of his serving turns until he took advantage in the fifth game,

.

unknown difficulties

At 24 years old, and with the well-earned predicament of his tennis, Tsitsipas has not yet achieved the endorsement he is looking for in a tournament of this range.

In the second set, he moved better and was more aggressive,

in the ninth game, neutralized by his opponent with a forehand winner.

Djokovic was facing unknown difficulties throughout a tournament that he has dominated with an iron fist.

He was going to his box,

, who has not returned since the controversy generated by being photographed with Russian supporters of Vladimir Putin after the quarterfinal match, was missing again in search of answers.

Tsitsipas was close to equalizing before an epidermal tiebreaker, of pure Mediterranean blood, which fell into the hands of the one who reduced the number of errors, which were numerous.

Djokovic showed courage to face adversity, as he did again after giving up the kick-off in the third.

He had to reach another tiebreaker, which he liquidated without concessions.

Ten times champion in Australia, seven at Wimbledon, three at the United States Open and two at Roland Garros

, the Serbian, the third oldest winner in Melbourne in the professional era, captured, at 35, the best portrait of himself same.

Better than ever with the serve, recovered the house-brand parallel backhand and with all the machinery in full swing, this man who collapsed after the victory in his box, victim of inconsolable tears, leaves Melbourne as befits his height sports, far from the unfortunate image of a year ago, today decked out as a champion of the time.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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• tennis

• Novak Djokovic

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