Novak Djokovic managed to create a feeling that every Australian championship he reaches will end in the same way for him - with the trophy.
Only the great ones are really capable of such a thing.
Since 2018, the Serbian has not lost a match in Melbourne.
No matter the opponent, the situation, the weather, the state of his health, nothing can stop Nola when he shows up at Rod Laver Arena with the title on the line.
That's how it happened nine times from 2008 to 2021, and that's exactly how it happened today (Sunday) against Stephanos Tsitsipas.
The Greek tried his best to produce a different ending, but he was defeated.
His face at the end made it clear that deep down he knew he had no chance.
Djokovic did what was needed to complete 3:6, 6:7, 6:7 which is worth for him his 10th title in Australia, title number 22 of his career and a return to the first place in the world.
Djokovic's ability to create a sense of routine is a tremendous achievement, because it clearly isn't.
Each tournament brings with it new goals and different obstacles, all of which he overcomes with an ease that is not visible to the eye of the beholder.
The control of the 35-year-old Serbian in the first Grand Slam of the year is so absolute - he already has 28 consecutive victories in Australia, an all-time record - that it seems a little robotic.
A bit like an office job.
Comes, signs a ticket, returns home.
Novak Djokovic.
Tennis from another world, photo: Getty Images
One could suspect that the current tournament is also like that, until Nola went up to the cabin of the coaching staff and his family and fell apart.
There, at this moment, it was possible to see that the Serbian glacier was also dealing with loads that sit and press and burden.
"This is probably the biggest victory of my career" said the new champion at the end, describing the last few weeks as the most challenging he has ever known.
"It was one of the hardest tournaments I played because of the circumstances that led to it," he explained, "the fact that I didn't play last year and came back this year, only my family knows what I went through in the last five weeks."
It is likely that Nola is talking about the injury that appeared at the beginning of the tournament, about the support affair for Vladimir Putin in which his father was involved, and in general about everything that was at stake here.
Djokovic.
"Only my family knows what I've been through in the last five weeks", photo: Getty Images
As at Roland Garros 2021, Tsitsipas separated Djokovic from a Grand Slam title.
Two years ago in Paris, the Serbian had to erase a two-set deficit to lift the trophy, but this time in Melbourne, the Greek was hopelessly chasing Novak's tail.
Even when he got a game point in the nervous second set, Tsitsipas didn't take advantage of it and lost in a tiebreaker.
Even after breaking his opponent's serve at the start of the third set, the Greek broke right back.
Djokovic's mental strengths were great for the great talent from Greece, and the third set also ended with the Serbian's victory in a tie breaker.
"I did everything I could, I couldn't do anything more," summed up the disappointed Tsitsipas experience, "Novak is the player who most stretches his opponents to the limit. In my opinion, he is the greatest of all who ever held a tennis racket. The numbers speak for themselves."
Novak Djokovic.
"The greatest of all", photo: Getty Images
The numbers certainly speak for themselves.
With 22 titles, Djokovic equaled Rafael Nadal at the top, with two titles more than Roger Federer.
The GOAT debate (the greatest of all time) has been reignited, and it seems that the day when Djokovic will be alone at the top is not far off.
One can assume that this would have already happened if it weren't for the corona virus and all the consequences it brought with it, but even now that he is 35 years old, Djokovic seems to be the one whose peak strength is in his hips.
In the current tournament, he presented a wonderful serving game (he won 94% of his serving games, the highest of all), a rare return game, a polished defensive game and, above all, an incomparable mental strength.
At the Australian Open 2023, Novak Djokovic made it clear that it may seem simple in his case, but under the surface it is very complicated.
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