Djokovic Ties Nadal's Grand Slam Record After Dominant Australian Open Win

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Novak Djokovic put on a dominant performance to win his 22nd career Grand Slam singles title—equaling Rafael Nadal’s all-time record—after beating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets at the Australian Open final on Sunday.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy following his … [+] victory in the men’s singles final of the Australian Open.

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

Djokovic rarely looked in trouble during the final, winning the game with a score of 6-3, 7-6 and 7-6.

With a record-extending 10th Australian Open title, Sunday’s victory further cements Djokovic’s status as the most dominant hardcourt men’s player in history.

Djokovic is also set to retake the men’s World No. 1 ranking from Spain’s Carlos Alcatraz when the rankings are updated next.

Djokovic’s chief rival Rafael Nadal knocked out of the Australian Open earlier, after losing his second-round match to American Mackenzie McDonald while battling an injury.

What To Watch For

Djokovic and Nadal’s next chance to overhaul each other’s record will come at the French Open in May. While a question mark likely remains over Nadal’s injuries, beating the Spaniard on clay will likely be a major challenge for Djokovic. With 14 titles, Nadal is the most dominant player in the history of the French Open.

Crucial Quote

Addressing the crowd during the trophy presentation ceremony, Djokovic said “This has been one of the most difficult tournaments, considering the circumstances. not playing last year coming back this year. I want to thank all the people who made me feel comfortable… Only the team and the family know what we have been through. I would say this is the biggest victory in my life, considering the circumstances.”

Key Background

Djokovic missed out on the chance to defend his Australian Open crown at last year’s tournament after his Covid-19 vaccination status became the subject of one of the sport’s biggest controversies in recent years. After two weeks of drama involving government officials and court hearings, Djokovic—who has refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19—was deported from Australia. Nadal would go on to win the 2022 Australian Open—his 21st Grand Slam title—breaking a three-way tie between himself, Djokovic, and Roger Federer. Nadal followed that up with a victory at the French Open to take his Grand Slam tally to 22. Djokovic managed to close the gap by winning his 21st Grand Slam title at last year’s Wimbledon. Federer, the other member of tennis’ “Big Three,” announced his retirement last year.

What We Don’t Know

Djokovic’s prospects of playing in the U.S. Open—the year’s final grand slam—still remain unclear. The newly crowned World No. 1 men’s player is all but certain to miss the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments in March this year as U.S. authorities have decided to keep their vaccine mandate for foreign travelers in place until at least April 10. The U.S. Open is scheduled to start in August. Djokovic, who is not vaccinated against Covid-19, has made it clear that he is prepared to miss future events instead of getting vaccinated. The Serbian star has pushed back against allegations that he is an anti-vaxxer and has instead argued that he is careful about everything that goes into his body and he had decided not to take the Covid-19 shot based on all information available to him.

Djokovic Ties Nadal’s Grand Slam Record After Dominant Australian Open Win