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Tsitsipas* 3-6 4-3 Djokovic
Another 15-30 on the Tsit serve. He takes his time over his serve, and then misses the first serve. And then for 30-30, he sends Djokovic sprawling, and the great man takes a while to get up. He’s fine to continue but maybe a sign of the younger man having the greater fitness.
Tsitsipas, at the second time of asking, drills a forehand home from the net for 40-30. And then, an error, as he misses a volley at the net. Deuce. Still, he lands a winner right on the line for advantage after another big-hitting rally, and then makes Djokovic miss a stop volley at the net. Another big hold, though they are all big holds at this point.
Tsitsipas 3-6 3-3 *Djokovic
Djokovic’s brilliance and longevity lies in his solidity, and just as Tsitsipas fancies a way back in, he serves out rather comfortably.
Tsitsipas* 3-6 3-2 Djokovic
Darkness descends for the Greek as Djokovic make it to 15-30, but a big roar from Tsitsipas after his opponent misses the line. A big serve is followed by a Henman-like fist pump, though no blowing of the hands like Tim did. Then a double fault is untimely, to say the least. A decent second serve hands him the advantage at deuce. A forehand winner lets in light for the Tsitsipas supporters. Their man isn’t giving up without a fight and Djokovic isn’t quite as dominant as he was before. Still, a long road ahead.
Tsitsipas 3-6 2-2 *Djokovic
A glimmer for Tsitsipas at 15-30 after two Djokovic errors. Hello? Goodbye. Djokovic wins a rally where Tsitsipas, somewhere down the Yarra River by the end of the point, is forced into repeated saver shots. Djokovic’s serve claims the next point, and the next.
Tsitsipas* 3-6 2-1 Djokovic
As expected, Google Translate let me down and Bojan Bura steps in: “Hi John, desetina means one tenth (1/10), the tenth title is deseta titula in Serbian.”
A better service game from Tsitsipas, his forehand becoming a better weapon and sending Djok all over the court. Get him sent all over the show, twang his hammy and the job’s done, right? A love hold is most welcome.
Tsitsipas 3-6 1-1 *Djokovic
Djokovic is unrelenting on his own serve. Three serves and 40-0 arrives, a clubbing baseline forehand and the job is done.
Tsitsipas* 3-6 1-0 Djokovic
Tsitsipas needs to avoid an early break in the second set. And he does so, which will come as some relief.
Djokovic takes the first set 6-3
Tsitsipas 3-6 *Djokovic
Tsitsipas does some running repairs on his sneakers after going 30-0 down. Are they box fresh? Or does that lead to blisters? It seems to work and Djokovic exasperates when missing from the baseline on the next point. But two set points arrive soon enough. Only one needed.
Tsitsipas* 3-5 Djokovic
Djokovic gets his sums wrong in going for a backhand scoop and ends up smashing into the net. Tsitsipas then makes his own error. Big serve makes it 30-15. Another big serve for 40-15. This one is served out well. At least the serve has begun to click for Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas 2-5 *Djokovic
Big cheers as Djokovic hits the ball out, and it’s 30-15. Djokovic punches the ball long for 40-15. And that’s game, and a mountain to climb for Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas* 2-4 Djokovic
Incidentally, La Decima (the tenth) is desetina (десетина) in Serbian. Well, according to Google Translate so am prepared to be corrected. Tsitsipas aces for 30-30 as he again looks in danger of being broken. Then Djokovic is pushed into an error for 40-30 to big chants from the Greek contingent. An ace gets the job done. It’s rowdy.
Tsitsipas 1-4 *Djokovic
Not even the trolling from the crowd is putting off the nine-time champ. Though he is taken to 40-30 after a miscue that gets the brayers all excited. A dart to the net and a top-spun winner gets the job done. Djokovic is in full control of the set.
Tsitsipas* 1-3 Djokovic
An early break. A mighty rally sees Tsitsipas drive home a volley for 15-15 but winning every point is a struggle at the moment. Djokovic wins the next lengthy exchange, and gets another break point chance. It’s surrendered too easily, via a double fault.
Tsitsipas 1-2 *Djokovic
A love hold for Djokovic. Nice and easy, too easy.
Tsitsipas* 1-1 Djokovic
A hold, eventually. Big rally on the first game and just as he seems to have Djokovic on the run, he smashes a forehand into the net cord. And then skies a forehand to go 0-30 down. Oh dear. Big serve and a first ace. 15-30. Better. Then a backhand goes out for two break points. Real power from both players but Tsitsipas has the lesser control. The first is saved by a skidding first serve. The second sees Djokovic go long after a short rally. Next, Djokovic nets to hand Tsitsipas an advantage, and then a big serve. Relief for the Greek but a long long long road ahead.
Tsitsipas 0-1 *Djokovic
Big roar as we get underway, and there is no Djokovic Senior in the stand for reasons widely known. The large bandage that Djok has carried all fortnight is not visible though there may be some taping. Djokovic takes the first point when his second serve skids up and Tsitsipas fails to find the line with his return. Lots of yahoos in the crowd making noise but Djokovic gets to 40-0 with calm before shanking a backhand wide. The forehand is more trusty and he drills home to take the first game with some comfort.
One game in and umpire Louise Azemar Engzell has had to quieten the crowd three times already. Can be fairly sure that is going to happen quite a lot more…#AusOpen
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) January 29, 2023
The two players meet at the net and begin their knock-up. Both look relaxed enough as they go through their routines. Djokovic has chosen to serve first.
It’s cloudy and a little moist in Melbourne but the players take to a Rod Laver Arena with an open roof, Tsitsipas first, Greeks flags waving, and the Serbian contingent receives their man with gusto.
Backstage footage shows Tsitsipas on a running machine, getting loosened up for what could be the night of his life. Can Djokovic’s hamstring hold up? A week ago that was the big question against him.
Tumaini Carayol is our man in Melbourne.
While Tsitsipas won two of their first three matches, both on outdoor hardcourts, the rest of their encounters have been lopsided. Djokovic has won nine matches in succession against him since 2019 and holds a 10-2 record. The Serb knows how to expose Tsitsipas’s glaring weaknesses. When he finds a rhythm on serve, the Greek’s return of serve can be exposed and Djokovic can usually count on exploiting Tsitsipas’s backhand in the advantage court with his superior backhand.
What a tournament it’s been, so here’s the best images from the last fortnight in Melbourne.
Preamble
If Novak Djokovic plays like he has been since last weekend then we are looking at a pushover. This could be the one that takes him level with Nadal. And everyone knows it. Stefanos Tsitsipas is meanwhile looking for his first slam, having lost in 2021 to Djokovic in the French Open final. His talent has been apparent for years now but like so many of his generation he has failed to live with the giants of the game.
He also has a problem with Djokovic, to whom he has lost the last nine times they have met, having won two of the first three they have met. Only Jannik Sinner and Karen Khachanov have taken sets off him while Djokovic has only dropped one, to Enzo Couacaud in the second round. They’ve been the best two best players on show in Melbourne but only one of them has chance to make himself the greatest of all time. The other must pull off one of the greatest shocks of all time.
