Djokovic’s 10th AO title; Sabalenka’s first Grand Slam
View(s):The women’s title of the Australian Open (AO) 2023 went to the six-footer Ariyana Sabalenka, a Belarus [24], played Elena Rybakina a Kazakh Russian [23], another six-footer in the final. Their road to the final was tedious and both showed in the final.
For the title, Sabalenka and Rybakina pitched against each other with what is left. After playing closer to three hours and three sets, Sabalenka won the match, her first Grand Slam title. Hitting speed of Sabalenka’s forehand often exceeds that of men’s. Both are not the best of net game players. Their power packed ground strokes did not encourage them to go to net. A good few rallies did finish at net in favour of Sabalenka. Opponent’s shot speed often takes away the comfort of net play. There are no net players in the class of Navratilova and Henin in the WTA field today.
In the semi-final Rybakina beat Azerenka of Belarus and Sabalenka overcame stubborn resistance of Polish No.2 Linette. Stopping a player like Linette, who was in a winning spree, was a big job. The scores of that match does not show the intensity at which the match played. It was the crucial win of Sabalenka’s in Australia.
Sabalenka has beaten Rybakina thrice previously. Often in their final, I saw Rybakina hardly react to Sabalenka’s passing shots. The truth behind that is Sabalenka’s forehand goes faster than that of Djokovich. Television screen does not show the speed effectively. In the end, Rybakina was too tired to stop Sabalenka winning the title.
Djokovich’s 10th AO title
Easily Novak Djokovich was the best men’s player in this year’s draw. A good all-rounder took lot of constrains and antipathy but had the support of the crowd present in the arena. Stefano Tsitsipas of Greece, his opponent in the final has come around year by year to be a player of recognition. At 17 in 2013, he was a New-Gen player and entered the top 100 of the world ranking.
In reaching the final of a Grand Slam event, our appreciation must also go to Tsitsipas’ path to the final. The Australian Open is for the top 150 of the world and after the third round, class of tennis is that of the top end elites. In this context, no player arrives into the final fresh as a flower. Most of them are in the threshold of physical breakdown and mentally exhausted to perform at peak levels. At the end, these decide the outcome of matches than playing skills.
Djokovic had to erase the unpalatable episode of deportation for false vaccine declaration. This win of Djokovich’s gives him 10th Australian Open title and the 22nd Grand Slam title. Of the trio who dominated this century, that is Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and him, he is the sole survivor. He is 35 years of age. In my judgement, he was the best competitor in the draw.
The event
Australian Open always comes abruptly almost connected to the previous year’s festive season. Before the players could settle into New Year’s competition rhythm, a Grand Slam is staged in mid-January. This awkwardly placed top end event of global tennis is a compulsory for ATP and WTA rankings.
South African born Craig Tyler, now in his early 50s, is the CEO of Tennis Australia. That makes him the Director of Australian Open Championships. He got the position good few years back after a global search. A South African graduated in USA, worked with college tennis with phenomenal success. His teaching methods are most innovative, I have seen. The credit for the origin of ATP and WTA also goes to well-known South Africans Clifford Drysdale, the man who made double-handed backhand as accepted technique of tennis.
Australia is one of the four Grand Slam countries. Meaning, they are one of the four to host and win the coveted Davis Cup as early as 1920. A player winning all four grand slam titles in one calendar year is termed as Grand Slam winner. In men, the last to do this incredible feat is Rod Laver, in 1969. The final of this year was in Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Laver was present at the final. Some of his contemporaries were there, I recognised Ken Rosewall. In that era, there were no shortage of world-beaters from Australia.
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna
Sania 35, and Rohan, 43 of India reached the final of Mixed Doubles. According to Sania, this would be her last Australian Open. Players must play round the year to be eligible to play Grand Slam events; this is tedious at her age.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach,
coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; +94775448880–