Australian Open final

Serb has looked as dominant as ever but sleeping on his opponent's storming season would be a misstep in Melbourne.

Tsitsipas knows how well he can serve, how he can dominate the baseline with his forehand and use his athleticism and deft touch to stay with Djokovic in the cat-and-mouse exchanges to come. They have clearly helped produce his best tennis and the prospect of achieving history under these circumstances, as the first Greek grand slam champion and No 1, means even more to him than if it were anywhere else. For two sets he showed all of his colours, from his resilience to snatch the first set tiebreak, to the level he maintained in consolidating it. Aside from the possibility of Djokovic’s hamstring derailing him, a final against Tsitsipas was clearly the biggest threat. [fourth-round demolition of Alex de Minaur](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jan/23/australian-open-tennis-novak-djokovic-blasts-past-de-minaur-and-into-quarter-finals), Novak Djokovic discussed a field that contained no other grand slam champion in the draw. Djokovic identified Stefanos Tsitsipas as the most experienced player left, but as he spoke of the various milestones in Tsitsipas’s career, Djokovic’s memory failed.

Artwork of two male tennis players. Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas will battle it out tonight in the men's final of the Australian Open. Help keep family ...

If Federer is the most elegant, and Nadal is the hardest hitter, then Djokovic is the hardest worker. Djokovic has landed about three quarters of his serves within 60cm of the line. Djokovic and Tsitsipas have no shortage of history together, playing each other 12 times over the years. That sheer amount of spin kicks the ball up and out of reach of opponents. Tsitsipas hit 24 groundstroke winners against Kanchanov in the semifinal, with 22 of them coming on the forehand wing. The first week of the tournament saw talk about the Dunlop balls, and how they muted players who relied on a spin heavy game style. The thump-whack of the tennis ball on hardcourts on the telly as lawnmowers purr in the background. He combines the raw power of someone his size with surprising agility for someone that tall. At times through this Australian Open he has ripped the ball even harder than Nadal in his prime, using those long levers to full effect.Loading The Olympics started in Ancient Greece, and the origins of many athletic pursuits date back to these times. Standing at 193cm Tsitsipas the near perfect ideal of a modern tennis player. In fact, despite the spread of tennis around the world, Greece was left mostly untouched.

Despite blowing three championship points, Aryna Sabalenka relies on her power game to defeat Elena Rybakina in three tense sets and claim her first major ...

She consolidated the break to lead 4-1, although not without some nervous moments. Rybakina held serve in a marathon sixth game, despite giving up three break points. "Thanks to my team, the craziest team on tour. With Rybakina serving in the fourth game, Sabalenka twice had a break point and converted on the second when her opponent went long with a forehand return. Sabalenka experienced the serving yips in the opening game of the second set when she faced two break points. She coughed up two break points and although she saved the first, a double fault on the second meant Rybakina was serving for the set at 5-4.

'Will play a major part': Wildcard that could swing Aus Open final... and make Djoker 'angry'

“If you’re Stefanos I’m not so sure you want the crowd to be going for you really vocally because he (Djokovic) takes that energy. He’s going to bring a big Greek contingent but the Serbians are loud and there’s a lot of them here. “I’m playing great tennis. “The Serbs and Greeks historically get along very well. I’m enjoying myself. “Having started here as one of my first junior Grand Slams and being now in the finals of the men’s event is as important as my very first steps that I took on the tennis court. The 24-year-old believes he has matured as a player and a person and is now better suited to the big stage in his quest to become the first Greek player to win a major title. “I hope that all the people who are going to come to the finals are going to be there for tennis and sport because that‘s what we all wish for. “I think that the experience of being in this particular situation and circumstances before helps,” he said. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. “The crowd is going to be really fascinating because they will play a major part in it,” he said on

It all comes down to this. With history and a spot at the top of the world rankings on the line, Novak Djokovic faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian ...

Now I want to do it in the men’s side, in the men’s professional tennis.” “But I very much believed it. “I knew that’s a very long journey to get there. I want to recreate that feeling for me,’” he told reporters after his semifinal victory over Russia’s Karen Khachanov. I try to become more resilient, more stronger. “In my case, I feel like things are just kind of piling on, adding on somehow for one reason or another,” he told reporters.

Bianca Andreescu, Victoria Azarenka and Ons Jabeur were among those weighing in on social media to praise Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and ...

Meanwhile, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation showed love to Rybakina. Bad luck tonight Elena Rybakina, your poise under pressure is a wonderful trait. A classic contest between two classy competitors." "Congratulations on winning your first major, Aryna Sabalenka. Like Sabalenka, Clijsters' path to her first major was not simple -- the Belgian lost four Grand Slam finals before breaking through at the 2005 US Open, and going on to collect four major titles. Robson described the match as "a joy to watch," while Pereira wrote: "Aryna Sabalenka deserved that title so much! Daria Saville had live-tweeted throughout the match, and the Australian congratulated both finalists afterwards. [January 28, 2023] Jabeur also offered a cheeky reasoning behind Sabalenka's success. After Sabalenka sealed her fourth match point, tributes began to pour in from the tennis world. Rybakina, who won her first major at Wimbledon last year, backed it up by knocking out three straight Grand Slam champions -- Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka -- to reach a second final. She has now won four three-setters against Rybakina in as many encounters.

Aryna Sabalenka has secured her first grand slam win, beating Elena Rybakina in style at Rod Laver Arena.

In the Open era, just 10 Australian Open finals have been won from a set down. She immediately followed that up with an ace to energise the Rod Laver Arena crowd. The monkey's off the back. And I believe, too, this will be a long-time rivalry between Sablenka and Rybakina. "And I really believe, truly believe this is going to be the catalyst for a really fruitful career. The crucial moment came in the third set when Sabalenka broke Rybakina once more, later giving her a chance to serve for the match at 5-4. In the end, all but one game in the second set went to deuce. "This is the catalyst now, isn't it, for Aryna? She got the break early and extended that advantage to 4-1 after a titanic tussle that went to deuce on three occasions. Sabalenka subsequently squandered that opportunity, starting with double faults before finishing the game with another to hand Rybakina a 5-4 advantage. [Aryna Sabalenka](https://wwos.nine.com.au/aryna-sabalenka) collapsed to the court and covered her face as tears flowed after coming from a set down to beat [Elena Rybakina](https://wwos.nine.com.au/elena-rybakina) in an enthralling [Australian Open](https://wwos.nine.com.au/australian-open) final. It was a titanic tussle between the fiery Russian and the ice-cold Khazastani that went all the way to a third set decider, before Sabalenka overcame nerves to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Nothing is so obvious at Rod Laver Arena as who champagne sponsor Piper-Heidsieck invites to its padded on-court seating opposite the umpire. For those on the ...

Seated right next to property billionaires and noted philanthropists John and Pauline Gandel were none other than National Gallery of Victoria director Tony Ellwood and his partner Tom Mosby (also the Koorie Heritage Trust’s CEO). In the row behind sat Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Sports Minister Anika Wells. somewhere (we only spotted them outside the arena). Chairwoman Jayne Hrdlicka sat with Governor-General David Hurley on one side and Grand Slam winners Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Billy Jean King on the other. He brought along partner Jodie Haydon and chief flak Liz Fitch, who sat in the second row next to REA chairman Hamish McLennan. Stokes and co weren’t far from the Gilbert + Tobin rows. A little bit to Fayyad’s left, UBS sent along no fewer than six operatives (that we recognised) in Anthony Sweetman, Charlie Daish, Calvin O’Shaughnessy, Katie Klosterman, Tim McKessar and Richard Sleijpen. And if the truly incessant shouts of “are you not entertained” in any way detracted from Gladiator star Russell Crowe’s enjoyment of the tennis, he shouldn’t have sat in so conspicuous a seat. Which, evidently, is what much of the crowd did during Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s changeovers. Out-of-power Liberals were thin on the ground, with Labor types filling the vacuum. A newly minted Goldman Sachs banker, he took Seven Holdings scion Ryan Stokes and wife Claire as his guests. Mr Microsoft must love the tennis.

MELBOURNE - Novak Djokovic will be strong favourite to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open final on Sunday and equal Rafael Nadal's haul of 22 ...

I'm enjoying myself. "Having started here as one of my first junior Grand Slams and being now in the finals of the men's event is as important as my very first steps that I took on the tennis court. The 24-year-old believes he has matured as a player and a person and is now better suited to the big stage in his quest to become the first Greek player to win a major title.

Novak Djokovic is staring down the barrel of a tenth Australian Open singles title when he plays Stefanos Tsitsipas and if images of his final practice are ...

Tsitsipas looked OK in that rally, came in off a powerful forehand, and Djokovic just powered it straight back to him. There sounds like an awesome atmosphere in Rod Laver Arena at the moment. Good rally and, as has been a bit of a pattern of late, Djokovic is the one to blink first and nets. The Greek his found his range! Longer rally this time and Tsitsipas with the change of direction and a brilliant shot down the line that a sliding Djokovic can't control! 30-30, good response by the Serbian star. The change of direction would have tested the hammy of Djokovic, and it survived that test. 15-30, a little bit of pressure on the Djokovic serve for the first time tonight. Big point in the context of the game there. That was a long deep rally from the baseline at high pace, then all of a sudden the Greek dropped the pace and Djokovic slid but could not get to the ball. The crowd rises to appreciate that. By Simon Smale

Follow all the action live as Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas battle it out in the 2023 Australian Open men's final at Rod Laver Arena.

But after having his serve put to the test again at 15-30, Tsitsipas wins the next three points, including a pair of aces, to hold. By Ronny Lerner