Novak Djokovic has reasserted his dominance in Melbourne, beating Russia's Daniil Medvedev to win his ninth Australian Open title. The 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory means the Serbian has now won 18 Grand Slam titles.
Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open final in straight setsImage: William West/AFP/Getty Images
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Novak Djokovic powered past Daniil Medvedev to win a record-extending ninth Australian Open title and third in a row in front of a fiery Melbourne crowd on Sunday. It is the most anyone has ever won any single tennis major, and the Serbian player's latest victory means he now sits two wins behind Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who both have 20 Grand Slam titles.
"Rod Laver Arena, I love you each year more and more," Djokovic said after his latest win. "The love affair keeps going. Thank you so much."
The champion, 33, started as nervelessly as you'd expect, given his record Down Under, and raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening set before Medvedev surged back to parity, firing ace after ace.
The pair then slugged it out for the remainder of a relentless opening set, Djokovic notably keen to draw his opponent to the net, before the Serbian produced a brilliant break in game 12 to seize the initiative.
Djokovic would not let it go, capitalizing on a couple of ragged service games early in the second set to race to a commanding lead. Medvedev lost any foothold he had in the match and his frustration became apparent when he smashed his racket at the back of the court after game seven. The rest then felt inevitable, Djokovic wrapping up the second set with a booming forehand service return down the middle of the court.
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Controversial character
At that point, it was easy to forget that Djokovic had endured a fraught start to the tournament. His open letter to the organizers regarding the quarantine conditions faced by players was criticized by a number of his fellow pros, including Australian Nick Kyrgios, who branded Djokovic a "tool." The Serbian argued his words had been misconstrued and also expressed fears he may miss out through injury.
Though the crowd were not all against him, the off-court actions of the increasingly divisive world No. 1 seemed to bother a few of of those in an 85%-full arena. At one point in that dominant second set, Djokovic put his fingers to his lips to try and calm a crowd, sections of which had turned against him.
The Australian Open has been one of the first major international sporting events to welcome fans since the coronavirus pandemic begun — despite the interruption of a five-day lockdown in Victoria, the state in which Melbourne lies.
Though some in the stands may not have got the result they wanted, there's little argument that they witnessed a player at the top of his game. With Federer and Nadal both older, Djokovic could easily surpass both in an era dominated by the big three in the men's game.
Hope extinguished
That feeling of inevitability that came to the fore in set two, very briefly flickered with Djokovic's first double fault of the match in the third set opener. But Medvedev failed to take advantage of two break points and the aura around his opponent quickly returned.
It was all too much for Medvedev, who later described his opponent as "like a god to me," and the 25-year-old's game started to unravel along with his mental fortitude on the court. The Russian was swinging from the hip but had clearly lost belief against his unwavering opponent. He isn't the first, and he's unlikely to be the last to suffer such a fate against Djokovic, who wrapped up Australian Open number nine with a convincing overhead that summed up a dominant display.
Djokovic disqualified: Other moments when tennis stars lost control
Nowak Djokovic beat himself by losing his cool and striking a line judge with the ball at the US Open. The Serbian, who was then disqualified, is far from the first tennis star to lash out in a moment of frustration.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Wenig
Beating himself
Men's world No. 1 Novak Djokovic lost his cool during his US Open fourth round match against Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday. Down 5-6 in the first set, the Serbian struck the ball behind him in a moment of frustration hitting a line judge in the throat. As a result of his action. Djokovic, who had gone unbeaten in 2020, was disqualified from the men's singles tournament.
Image: Getty Images/A. Bello
Costly altercations
In the women's final of the 2018 US Open, Serena Williams engaged in a series of verbal altercations with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, which started after he handed her a warning for alleged coaching. She later smashed her racquet, and then labeled Ramos a thief, accusing him of sexism. Naomi Osaka won the next game by default and went on to win the title. Williams was later fined $17,000 (€14,700).
Image: USA Today Sports/R. Deutsch
Repeat offender
It wasn't the first time that Williams has called a tournament referee and supervisor down onto the court. At the 2009 US Open, when a line judge called a foot fault at match point, therefore handing Williams' opponent Kim Clijsters the match, a furious Williams threatened to "take a ball and ram it down your throat!" She was fined $117,000 and given a two-year suspended ban.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Gombert
The tantrum king
John McEnroe is in a league of his own when it comes to on-court outbursts and fits of fury. In 1990, the American became the first player to be disqualified from the Australian Open after telling the umpire to do something inappropriate with his mother. Only McEnroe knows how much he paid in fines throughout his career. In 1987, he was even banned for two months after a tantrum at the US Open.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Ossinger
One, two, three, FOUR!
Marcos Baghdatis was only fined $800 for his outburst at the 2012 Australian Open, but the Cypriot star probably ended up paying more for new equipment after destroying not just one but FOUR racquets during one change of ends. Two of them were still in their packaging. "Four racquets? Wow, that's impressive!" commented - of all people - Serena Williams at the time.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Walton
A 'hole' lot of trouble
In May 2018, Karolina Pliskova lost the plot at a tournament in Rome. Although the line judge couldn't point to a mark in the clay where the ball had allegedly been out, the chair umpire upheld the incorrect decision. After going on to lose the match, Pliskova then refused to shake the umpire's hand, smashing a hole in the umpire's chair instead. She received a four-figure fine.
Image: Getty Images/J. Finney
Not very gentleman-like!
Oh, how embarrassing! It was at Wimbledon of all places that British favorite Tim Henman lost his cool, angrily smashing a ball which hit a ball girl on the head. Consequently, Henman became the first player to be disqualified from Wimbledon, but charming Tim regained his gentlemanly reputation by apologizing publicly to the ball girl, giving her a bunch of flowers and a kiss on the cheek.
Image: Getty Images/ALLSPORT/G. M. Prior
A slap from the wife!
1995 was a great year for Wimbledon tantrums. After a dispute with the umpire and the crowd, Jeff Tarango packed up his things and stormed off court. Beneath the stands, his wife Benedicte accosted the umpire and slapped him twice in the face, for which her husband was fined $63,000 and handed a two-year ban from all Grand Slams. The punishment was later reduced to $20,000 and a one-year ban.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Neilsen
Splinter in the shin
It wasn't intentional but it left a mark. At Queens in 2012, David Nalbandian kicked out in frustration at the wooden base of a line judge's chair, sending a splinter flying into the judge's shin and leaving a bloody gash. Nalbandian was disqualified and fined $70,000. In the same year, he had sprayed water in an umpire's face at the Australian Open for which he had to pay $8,000.
Image: picture-alliance/Actionplus
'Eye' didn't mean it!
In a Davis Cup match between Canada and Great Britain in February 2017, 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov angrily smashed a ball away, hitting umpire Arnaud Gabas directly in the eye. The eye immediately swelled up and the Frenchman later had to undergo an operation on a broken eye socket. Canada were knocked out, Shapovalov was disqualified and he was fined $7,000.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/The Canadian Press/J. Tang
Arrogant Alexander
Alexander Zverev didn't take his exit from Wimbledon 2018 very well. First, he received a warning for arguing with a line judge, before complaining: "He just wants to be important on the big stage at Wimbledon for once! So we remember his face!" The umpire who handed down the warning? Serena Williams' 'friend' Carlos Ramos!
