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He wants it more: Novak Djokovic after his renewed triumph in Melbourne
Photo:
Mark Dadswell / AP
Record brains
: It happened when the score was 4-2 in the third set.
During this phase, Daniil Medvedev rebelled against Novak Djokovic once again, forcing the world number 1 into a longer baseline rally.
Djokovic's blow jumped on the line, Medvedev's return landed in the network.
Then Djokovic tapped his head with his index finger as if to say: Are you playing better right now?
Bad luck, I want it more.
The result
: Novak Djokovic won the final of the Australian Open 2021 against Daniil Medvedev 7: 5, 6: 2, 6: 2.
The Serb is expanding his record series in Melbourne to nine successes.
Next Generation:
We have been waiting a long time for the next generation, which can be dangerous for the big three Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.
It is almost pleadingly written down if a potential successor makes it into a Grand Slam final.
Who, if not this strong Medvedev, who celebrated his 20th victory in a row in the semi-finals against Stefanos Tsitsipas, should succeed?
Djokovic had his own take on this question: “We can talk about it all day, but with all due respect to the guys, they still have a lot of work to do.
I will not give them my place.
I'll make them work very hard for it. "
Only three points
: As if he wanted to back up his statements, Djokovic started the final with an ace, the 101st in this tournament.
Medvedev, on the other hand, only got three points in the first three games - before he turned this one-sided game into an exciting match after winning a 28-stroke rally.
At the beginning of the second set, he took the first game from Djokovic, who actually started with upper water by winning the set.
New racket, old mistakes: as
a result, the number one in the world determined the game more and more.
Almost as if he wanted to advance for a moment, in which the Russian catches himself again, he pulled away with hard, precise punches in just under eleven minutes 4: 1.
Medvedev seemed increasingly frustrated by the many avoidable mistakes.
After the 2: 5, the 25-year-old's bat had to believe in it.
But even with a new racket, Medvedev could not prevent the loss of the set.
Now the statistics spoke against the challenger: Djokovic only lost one of his 238 five-set games after taking a 2-0 lead in his career.
Medvedev, however, each of his nine games in which he was 2-0 down.
Save the refugees
: The atmosphere in the stands in the Rod Laver Arena was splendid.
The viewers clearly tended towards »Nole, Nole« and remained largely fair.
Only once, in the middle of a rally, did it get loud.
A no-go in tennis.
However, the whistles were not an intentional disruption to the game.
The audience reacted to two women who had apparently protested for the rights of refugees - and were led out of the arena by security staff.
The exact background was initially unclear.
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“Free them all” is written on this woman's T-shirt, other pictures show that “end systemic rassism” is written on the back, both women are said to have shouted “free the refugees”
Photo: DAVID GRAY / AFP
The decision
: As clear as the game had gone up to this point - a return of Medvedev, who had played so strongly up to this final, was still hanging over this match.
It was also clear: Djokovic would have to let him into this game.
The 18-time Grand Slam winner not only brought 67 percent (52 of 78) of his first serves into the field in the entire match, he also added 73 percent of winning strokes (38 of 52).
After 1:53 hour, the 33-year-old turned his first match point.
Special title
: The Australian Open is a special tournament for Djokovic.
This year there were probably a few points that made this victory more important for Djokovic, after all, 2020 was also a difficult year for him in terms of sport.
In the final of the French Open he had no chance against Rafael Nadal.
At the US Open, the title favorite was disqualified after hitting a line judge with a ball carelessly knocked away.
So this success was probably also a successful restart into the year 2021.
Chess on the tennis court:
Again and again, the image of the chess player on the tennis court was sought before the game.
Perhaps this goes back to Jim Courier, who called Medvedev a "master of the game of chess" because of the way he tactically positions himself on the court.
To stay in the picture: this game was a lesson from the tennis grandmaster.
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