Djokovic stops Medvedev’s streak, wins 9th Aussie title
MELBOURNE, Australia — Maybe, just maybe, the thinking went, Novak Djokovic would be just a tad more susceptible to trouble this time around at the Australian Open.
After all, he tore an abdominal muscle in the third round and wasn't sure he could continue to compete. Entering Sunday,
Djokovic ceded five sets in the tournament, the most he ever dropped en route to a major final. And to top it all off, he was facing Daniil Medvedev, owner of a 20match winning streak.
Yeah, right. We're talking about Djokovic at Melbourne Park, where his dominance is most certainly intact — nine finals, nine championships. Plus, he's still gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam standings, now up to 18 overall, two shy of the men's record those rivals share.
Djokovic used improved serving, along with his usual relentless returning and
baseline excellence to grab 11 of 13 games in one stretch and beat Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 for a third consecutive Australian Open trophy.
“Definitely, emotionally, the most challenging Grand Slam that I ever had, with everything that was happening — injury, off-thecourt stuff, quarantines,” Djokovic said. “A rollercoaster ride.”
When the match ended after less than two hours, Djokovic went to the sideline, lifted his white shirt and peeled pieces of beige tape from his stomach.
“I was quite worried,” Djokovic said about the injury. “I did not (think) realistically that I could actually play. I didn't know until two hours before the fourth-round match.”
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