Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday to claim a 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam crowns with a victory that returned him to world number one.
The Serbian star overcame a hamstring injury and off-court drama on his return to Melbourne Park this year to sweep past the Greek third seed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena.
The fourth seed, who missed last year’s Australian Open when he was deported over his Covid vaccination stance, believes that his far superior experience at this stage of the tournament gives him a significant edge.
Djokovic was already a strong favourite given his vast experience and success on the Melbourne hardcourts, and he also held a 10-2 career record over Tsitsipas.
But he had been struggling with a hamstring injury and off-court distractions after his father sparked a scandal when he was pictured posing next to a fan with a Russian flag featuring the face of Vladimir Putin.
Here’s a look at the reactions for Novak Djokovic’s win:
With inputs from AFP