Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic won today’s tournament in Adelaide, Australia, after beating North American Sebastian Korda in the final to clinch his 92nd career title.
Djokovic, currently number five in the world rankings, defeated 33rd in the hierarchy in three sets, with partials of 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (7-3) and 6-4, in a match that lasted three hours and 11 minutes, in which the Serbian had to save a game ball in the second ‘set’.
With this victory, 35-year-old Djokovic secured his 92nd title in his career, his first this year. The Serb, who has 21 Grand Slam titles, will now try to match Rafael Nadal’s 22 at the Australian Open.
The Adelaide tournament serves as preparation for the Australian Open, which begins on January 16, and marks Djokovic’s return to that country after the controversy a year ago that culminated in the tennis player being expelled for refusing to receive the vaccine against covid-19. 19 to take.
“What happened 12 months ago was not easy to digest for a while,” the Serb said at a press conference in Adelaide this week before starting to participate in the tournament.
Djokovic assured that situations like this are “remembered for a lifetime”, but considered them “valuable learning experiences”.
“It was of course disappointing to leave the country as I did. A country where I have had great sporting success, especially in Melbourne,” said Djokovic, nine-time winner of the Australian Major.
Djokovic was expelled from the country in January this year shortly after the start of the tournament at an accelerated pace for entering the country without being vaccinated against covid-19, after presenting a medical waiver the legality of which has been challenged by the Australian authorities.
The visa was canceled because it was believed Djokovic’s presence could pose a risk to public health and be counterproductive to Australia’s vaccination efforts as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
After a brief but intense court case, the full Australian Federal Court ruled that the tennis player’s presence posed a risk to public health and order as it could contribute to fueling protests by anti-vaccination movements, and Djokovic was deported.
The Serb was also banned from entering for three years, which was “cancelled” last November with the granting of a temporary visa.
Aryna Sabalenka wins women’s tournament
Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka won the tournament in Adelaide, Australia, again this Sunday, after defeating Czech Linda Noskova in the final to clinch her first title since 2021.
World number five Sabalenka surpassed 102nd in the WTA hierarchy in just two ‘sets’, with the partials of 6-3 and 7-6 (7-4), in an encounter that lasted an hour and 46 minutes .
The Belarusian tennis player, who has already reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and the US Open, won her 11th career title, her first since the 2021 Madrid Masters.
Source: DN
