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Novak Djokovic has faced plenty of controversy on his way to a ninth Australian Open final
Few tennis players have faced more headlines during a one-month period than Novak Djokovic this summer. How has he survived them to reach another Open final?
Novak Djokovic’s famous defence has been in operation even before he lobbed in Australia on January 15.
That’s why Djokovic, while reflecting on his arduous journey to Sunday night’s Australian Open final – his ninth at Melbourne Park – he described it as “unique circumstances”.
“Let’s keep it to that,” he followed up with, deadpan.
The world No.1 and former ATP Player Council president was one of an exclusive group invited to an Adelaide exhibition event made necessary by overflowing quarantine numbers in Melbourne.
Outspoken Frenchman Benoit Paire immediately lashed the exhibition, saying the top handful of players were again receiving preferential treatment.
On landing in Adelaide, Djokovic – who contracted the coronavirus last year from his ill-fated Adria Tour – was criticised for travelling in tournament transport without wearing a face mask.
Paire wasn’t the only player miffed, especially once they saw Djokovic wandering out onto his balcony for daily chats with local folk, as those in ‘hard’ quarantine came to terms with four walls.
Once his peers’ quarantine whining reached Djokovic’s Adelaide suite, he had a brainwave.
He’d get in touch with Tennis Australia chief and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley and try to come to the players’ rescue with a series of requests.
They were reported as demands, whereas Tiley called them suggestions. The fallout was ugly.
An Australian public already wary about the tennis circus rolling into town jeered at Djokovic’s ‘suggestions’.
They ranged from fitness equipment being delivered to all rooms, better food, reducing isolation time for those deemed close contacts, and even relocating “as many players as possible” to private houses with a court to train.
Nick Kyrgios branded Djokovic “a tool” – not missing the opportunity for another shot at him – which the Serb responded to by saying he didn’t “have much respect” for the Australian off-court.
Both comments resulted in predictable media storms.
Then, while still in South Australia, he initially decided not to play in the exhibition at the last minute, blaming a blister on his right hand.
The reaction was savage and swift, particularly because he withdrew from the Adelaide International 12 months earlier.
Countryman Filip Krajinovic played the first set against Jannik Sinner, only for Djokovic to emerge for the second, seemingly – and belatedly – aware of the bad PR.
However, a different injury is what his 2021 trip will be remembered for.
Up two sets but trailing 1-2 in the third set of his Australian Open third-round clash with American Taylor Fritz, Djokovic received treatment on his abdomen.
He subsequently lost the third and fourth sets, but somehow managed to win the fifth, telling reporters his painkillers had kicked in by then.
Afterwards, Djokovic declared he had sustained “a tear definitely of the muscle”.
He was still uncertain whether he would play his round-of-16 match only three hours before facing Milos Raonic.
Djokovic still won in four sets, then did the same to Alex Zverev, in a more competitive match in the quarter-finals. By Thursday night’s semi-final, you wouldn’t have even known he was ever injured.
The 17-times grand slam champion won’t reveal his actual diagnosis until after Sunday’s final, but said he played pain-free in beating qualifier Aslan Karatsev.
“I am surprised the way I felt tonight. I think it surpassed, in a way, my greatest wishes and the way I wanted to feel,” he said.
“But, at the same time, I did have kind of similar experiences in the past, where I was managing to recover pretty quickly … (I have) this pretty good way and ability to recover fast.”
After it all, Djokovic is back where he usually is at the Australian Open – competing for another grand slam title.
It probably owes to a combination of his aura of invincibility, bank of experiences and battle-hardened ways, but nothing this summer appears to have dulled his passion for Melbourne.
“The more I win, the better I feel coming back each year,” he said.
“I think it's kind of also logical to expect that. The love affair keeps going.”
Updates
Djokovic assault sets up crack at ninth Open title
Marc McGowan
Aslan Karatsev’s Chronicles of Melbourne Park are over.
The Russian Challenger king’s staggering run from Australian Open qualifying to the semi-finals – the first qualifier to do so in 44 years – finally met its end at eight-times champion Novak Djokovic’s hands.
A seemingly fit-again Djokovic ran a tight ship on Thursday night, committing just one unforced error until the final point of the 17th game to set up his tricker-than-it-reads 6-3 6-4 6-2 triumph.
One night after his great rival Rafael Nadal lost from two sets up, the 33-year-old Serbian staved off Karatsev’s bursts of hot play – most of it generated by a blitzkrieg forehand – to avoid a repeat.
Djokovic will contest a ninth Australian Open final on Sunday night, knowing he has never lost once he’s made it that far in Melbourne.
Djokovic wins 6-2 6-4 6-2
Another year, another final for Novak Djokovic.
This guy really is the king of Melbourne Park. And you know he isn’t done yet. With Rafa out, he can smell another title.
Djokovic 4 v Karatsev 2*
The rollercoaster has continued here in this third set. After going down an early break Karatsev fights his way back into the set and squares things up at 2-2.
But Djokovic isn’t about to let that go unpunished. He once again lifts his level and has the break back on his side.
Novak is now just eight points from ANOTHER slam final!
Alexander Zverev has unfinished business at Melbourne Park
I’ll be back #AusOpen Thank you Melbourne and Tennis Australia for making this amazing event happen and for giving us a chance to play here!💙🤍
— Alexander Zverev (@AlexZverev) February 18, 2021
*Djokovic 1 v Karatsev 0
Was the end of that second set the last stand for Karatsev?
He’s just given up his serve to start this third set. That’s a brutal blow. This one could be over quickly.
How the TAB has seen this match
You can now basically write your own ticket for Karatsev. This is how the TAB has seen this one.
START OF MATCH
$1.10 Djokovic
$7 Karatsev
82 percent of pre-match support for Djokovic
DJOKOVIC WON THE FIRST SET 6-3
$1.03 Djokovic
$13 Karatsev
DJOKOVIC WON THE SECOND SET 6-4
$21 Karatsev
Djokovic takes second set 6-4
What a finish to that second set. For the first time since 3-3, it really felt like a tight contest.
From 2-5, Djokovic found himself one point away from being 5-5.
Karatsev started to once again find his range and his play really brought out the best in Novak.
The world No.1 is officially pumped. After saving two break back points he lets out a massive ROAR when he takes the second. He knows how big that was.
‘Doesn't feel much like a semi-final’
This is an absolute smashing from Djokovic. Take in some of these stats.
He has 19 winners and ONE – you read that right – “1” unforced error.
He has 10 aces and zero double faults.
He is winning 80 per cent of points when he gets his first serve in and 77 per cent of points on his second ball.
He has won 50 points to 25 from Karatsev. As respected tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg puts it, “Doesn't feel much like a semifinal.”
Djokovic has one unforced error so far.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) February 18, 2021
He leads Karatsev 6-3, 4-1.
Doesn't feel much like a semifinal.#AusOpen
Djokovic 3 v Karatsev 1*
Novak has carried his hot form through to the second set here. Through four games he already has an early break over Karatsev.
If I’m Djokovic, I see this as my big chance to get my fitness back in top shape before the final.
If he wins, he has the added bonus of an extra day off before the final. A quick match tonight and that becomes even more important.
With that on the table, I wouldn’t be expecting any lapses from the world No.1. He knows what is on the line here.
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