Novak Djokovic said shedding tears in his players’ box following victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open final on Sunday, 29 January, was the result of an emotional collapse following his huge display of mental strength in a challenging fortnight.

Djokovic overcame Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in a repeat of their 2021 French Open final to claim a record-extending 10th title at Melbourne Park, draw level with Rafa Nadal on 22 Grand Slam crowns and reclaim the world No 1 ranking at the age of 35.

It was an extraordinary two weeks for the Serbian, who also managed a hamstring issue and the distraction of his father posing with fans holding banned Russian flags. He did not play in Australia last year after he was deported for not being vaccinated against Covid-19.

“When I went into my box, I emotionally collapsed there and teared up with my mother and my brother when I gave them a hug,” Djokovic told reporters.

“Because, up to that moment, I wasn’t allowing myself to be distracted with things off the court or whatever was happening in dealing with an injury… That could easily have been a big disturbance to my focus, to my game.

“It required enormous mental energy to stay present, to stay focused, to take things day by day and see how far I can go.”

More nervous than usual

Djokovic said he was more nervous than usual coming into the tournament after his deportation 12 months ago due to being unvaccinated against Covid, with his return possible only after his three-year visa ban was waived in November.

“I didn’t know how I was going to be received by the people but overall, it was a very positive experience,” said Djokovic, who also received a warm reception en route to the title at the Adelaide warm-up event where he injured his hamstring.

Adding to his troubles was the drama surrounding his father, Srdjan. A video emerged showing him with fans holding Russian flags, which had been banned early in the tournament.

Djokovic senior skipped his son’s semifinal against American Tommy Paul and was also absent from the title clash.

“I thought things will calm down in terms of the media and everything, but it didn’t. We both agreed it would probably be better that he’s not there,” Djokovic said.

“That hurts me and him a lot because these are very special, unique moments. Who knows if they repeat again. It wasn’t easy for him. I saw him after… Although he was happy to hug me, I could see he was a bit sad.

“What he told me is that it’s important that I feel good on the court, I win the match and he’s here for me. If it’s going to be better for me … that he’s not in the box, then so be it.

“I’m also sad he was not there in the stands. But he was throughout the entire tournament, so it’s fine. In the end, we have a happy ending.”

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates from his players’ box following his win in the Men’s Singles Final against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece at the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 29 January 2023. (Photo: EPA-EFE / JOEL CARRETT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT)

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Djokovic had won the record-extending 10th Australian Open title despite battling an injury that would have forced most players to quit, his coach Goran Ivanišević said, adding that the world No 1 kept getting “crazier and crazier”.

The 35-year-old Serb said this week that doubt about whether he was genuinely struggling only served to give him extra motivation.

“Let me put it like this: I don’t say 100%, but 97% of the players on Saturday when you get results of the MRI, you go straight to the referee office and pull out of the tournament. But not him,” Ivanišević told reporters.

“He gave everything… Every day was kind of better and better. I didn’t expect this. Okay, first two rounds okay, but then against [Grigor] Dimitrov I was very scared. But he got through and, in the end, he won the tournament.

“He’s getting crazier and crazier, I can say that. It’s no end of the field of craziness. In a positive way, I mean.” 

Despite dominating the match, Djokovic grew frustrated with Tsitsipas’s resilience at one point and began mouthing off at his coach, but Ivanišević said the exchange of words was water under the bridge.

“I was also a tennis player. I was also a little bit crazy. I understand how he feels. I understand the emotions,” he said.

“This is the final of a Grand Slam. I don’t mind. If this is going to help him, we already talked about it so many times. I told him, ‘You can tell me whatever you want, but you have to win, otherwise you have a problem’.

“It’s the same as if you are a football coach of Real Madrid — you need to have the pressure. If you don’t win one, two games, you get fired. Only Grand Slam counts. But it’s a good challenge.”

Spain vs Serbia

Ivanišević also hailed the incredible rivalry between Djokovic and Nadal, likening their growing Grand Slam tallies to the score of a handball match.

“It’s a battle of Spain against Serbia … 22-22 for the moment. Now it’s going to be interesting this year,” Ivanišević said.

Younger players are here, he said. “It’s great for tennis, great for the future of tennis. But you still have these two guys battling. This was Novak’s home court, and now we go next to Rafa’s home court [the French Open]… It’s amazing. They really push each other.” Reuters/DM

Grand Slam timeline of the big three 

2003: Federer became the newest entrant into the Grand Slam club with the first of his eight Wimbledon titles, beating Mark Philippoussis in the final.

Tally: Federer 1

2004: The Swiss flexed his muscles by winning three majors – the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – losing in the third round of the French Open.

Tally: Federer 4

2005: Federer defended his Wimbledon crown and US Open crowns while Nadal burst on to the scene with his first French Open title beating Mariano Puerta in the final.

Tally: Federer 6; Nadal 1

2006: Federer enjoyed another trophy-laden year, winning three majors. Nadal laid the foundation for a period of dominance on clay with his second French Open title.

Tally: Federer 9; Nadal 2

2007: The seemingly unstoppable Federer repeated his feat from the previous year, but the French Open title continued to elude him as Nadal thwarted him in the final for a second straight year.

Tally: Federer 12; Nadal 3

2008: Djokovic hit big time with his maiden major, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open final. After his French Open triumph, Nadal stunned Federer in the Wimbledon final but the Swiss responded by winning the US Open.

Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 1

2009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in the Australian Open final. However, Nadal’s 31-game winning streak at Roland Garros came to an end in the fourth round, allowing Federer to claim his only clay court major trophy. Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon title as he was forced to pull out with knee problems. Federer went on to claim his record 15th major at Wimbledon, surpassing Pete Sampras’s tally. He finished the season as the year-end number one for the fifth time in his career.

Tally: Federer 15; Nadal 6; Djokovic 1

2010: Federer started the year by winning the Australian Open for a fourth time. But it turned out to be Nadal’s finest campaign as he swept the next three majors. He defeated Djokovic in the US Open final to complete a career Grand Slam.

Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 9; Djokovic 1

2011: Djokovic began his ascent to the top by winning 10 tournaments in 2011, including three majors at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Nadal, meanwhile, reclaimed his French Open crown for his 10th major title overall. For the first time since 2002, Federer went away empty handed from all four slams.

Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 4

2012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Nadal continued his dominant run at Roland Garros to add another major title to his tally, while Federer won a record-extending 17th major at Wimbledon.

Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 11; Djokovic 5

2013: Djokovic won his third straight Australian Open by defeating Andy Murray in the final. While Federer struggled with a back injury, Nadal finished the year as number one after defending his French Open crown and adding another US Open title to his tally.

Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 13; Djokovic 6

2014: Nadal defeated Djokovic to win his ninth French Open title, equalling Sampras’s total of 14 slams. At Wimbledon, Djokovic defeated Federer in the final.

Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 7

2015: Djokovic won three majors – the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. He also became only the second man to defeat Nadal at the French Open, beating the Spaniard in the quarterfinals. Djokovic reached all four major finals during the season but was beaten by Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros showpiece.

Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 10

2016: Djokovic successfully defended his Australian Open crown before winning his maiden French Open title, making him the holder of all four majors – a feat the media dubbed the “Nole Slam”. Federer and Nadal were both plagued by injuries during the season. Since making his Grand Slam debut in 1999, Federer was a no show at a major for the first time when he missed the French and US Opens due to injury.

Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 12

2017: Federer won his 18th slam – and his first since Wimbledon 2012 – with a thrilling five-set victory over Nadal in the Australian Open final. Nadal cemented his place as the greatest clay courter in history when he secured a record 10th title in Roland Garros. Records continued to tumble as Federer became the first man to win Wimbledon eight times with victory over Marin Cilic in the final, before Nadal clinched his second US Open title. Djokovic, who retired midway through his Wimbledon quarterfinal against Tomas Berdych, missed the latter half of the season with an elbow injury.

Tally: Federer 19; Nadal 16; Djokovic 12

2018: Federer won his sixth Australian Open to become only the fourth player after Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf to win 20 or more major singles titles. Nadal extended his winning run at Roland Garros, before Djokovic earned his first major in more than two years at Wimbledon. A third triumph in New York ensured Djokovic had equalled Sampras’s tally of 14 majors and was now only behind Federer and Nadal in the all-time list.

Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 17; Djokovic 14

2019: Djokovic won a third successive major and a record seventh Australian Open with a dominant straight sets win over Nadal. Djokovic also won a fifth Wimbledon title after saving two match points in a five-set win over Federer in the final that lasted four hours and 57 minutes – the longest in Wimbledon history. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to move within one of Federer’s Grand Slam haul.

Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 19; Djokovic 16

2020: Djokovic was back to his best at the Australian Open as he lifted his eighth title at Melbourne Park. While Wimbledon was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Nadal inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats on Djokovic, thrashing him 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to lift a men’s record-equalling 20th major title. Federer (knee injury) and Nadal (due to the pandemic) opted to skip the US Open. However, Djokovic missed an opportunity to close the gap on his rivals after he was disqualified from his fourth-round match at Flushing Meadows for accidentally hitting a ball at a line judge.

Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 20; Djokovic 17

2021: Djokovic continued his dominance at the Australian Open to win his ninth title. After overcoming Nadal in the French Open semifinal, Djokovic fought back from two sets down to defeat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and win his 19th major in Paris. Victory over Italian Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final in July moved Djokovic level with Nadal and Federer on 20 titles.

Tally: Djokovic 20, Federer 20; Nadal 20

2022: Nadal won the Australian Open to secure a record 21st Grand Slam title after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final. He then added his 22nd major title at the French Open before Djokovic beat Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final for his 21st major title. Federer announced his retirement.

Tally: Nadal 22, Djokovic 21; Federer 20

2023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal’s record.

Tally: Djokovic 22, Nadal 22; Federer 20. Reuters/DM