It has been a while since he played in Australia. It has been a while since he has been allowed in the country.The covid 19 and its vaccine situation affair in 2022 left a bitter taste for the Australian open singles champ who has won 9 titles in Melbourne .situation It has been quite difficult justification of not having a vaccine and be allowed to play or visit the shore s down under where there has been a tight control over letting in any nationals from outside the island continent.

After all the hue and cry and the slow relaxation of global covid crisis , The Australian authorities finally admitted Novak Djokovic into the country. He hadn’t played New York due to the covid vaccine issue so had a mixed 2022 where he only won Wimbledon and that too didn’t carry and ATP points on the allowance of another global issue – Russians.All the inactivity would have made him anything but a firm favourite but that where the buck stops and Novak logic starts.

On the courts, he is still nimble, quick and as agile as anyone could be . Never threatened by the young brigade , he was always on the charge.Apart from the second round match where he lost one set , he went on a rampage taking out every opponent fairly quickly.He dropped 5 games in round 4 , 7 in quarters and 8 in semis , against Alex Di Minaur and Andrey Rublev and Tommy Paul in the semis. Whilst seeds tumbled else where in heaps, he quietly carried on his end of the draw, taking care of business and most of the time light work of it.

With top seed defending champion Rafael Nadal ousted alongside second seed Casper Ruud in round 2, 2022 runner up Andrei Medvedev in Round 3 and Felix Auger Aliassime in Round 4, it never looked like any of the big guns were going to threat and became quite an anti climactic Aussie open for a few reasons. The eighth seed and up and coming American sensation, Taylor Fritz bowed out in the second round as well. and the hometown rebel and defending doubles champ Nick Kyrgios withdrew even before he hit a ball.This was the first slam since Roger Federer announced his much anticipated retirement as well. The defending US open champ Carlos Alcaraz didn’t pay due to injury.

Stefanos Tsitsipas his finals opponent was made to work especially in round 4 in a match versus Jannik Sinner. His semifinal opponent , Karen Khachanov also took him to four sets. He started the final with a jitter as well seemingly struggling to hold his nerves. It was appearing as if it was his first final in Melbourne . Three times a semifinalist here including two on the run in 2021 and 2022, Stefanos tried here to ensue his form.

It was a tough ask. Noel was too string and ahead of the game. He is usally lights out in tie breakers and it showed,. Tsitsipas at his best took him to twi tie breaks but had not much left in either one of them to cause much sweat to the nine time champ.Djokovic was smooth and took the final in straight sets not troubling the TV organisers much .This was his grand slam tying 22nd singles crown which takes him level with Rafael Nadal. It was his 10th Australian open , a haul that started back in 2008 ,15 years ago at the Rod Laver Arena. The Great Rod Laver was ever present at this final to witness.

In doing so, Novak Djokovic also secured the world no 1 ranking as well which was up for grabs between him and Tsitsipas. It sets up an interesting rest of the year where his admittance to the grand slam tourneys would no longer be objectionable. Let the on court play be the best judge !