Cloud 9: Djokovic wins 9th Australian Open, 18th Slam 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 20-match 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-the-court stuff, quarantines,” Djokovic said. “A roller-coaster ride.”
When the match ended after less than two hours, Djokovic went to the sideline, lifted his white shirt and peeled pieces of beige athletic 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.”
Dealing with what he called “bearable” pain, Djokovic improved to a combined 18-0 in semifinals and finals on Melbourne’s hard courts.
“Probably, it’s not your last one,” Medvedev said. “I have no words to say.”
Djokovic, a 33-year-old from Serbia, has won six of the last 10 majors and will stay at No. 1 in the rankings at least through
March 8. That will give him 311 weeks there, breaking another mark held by Federer.
His goals now are squarely on Grand Slams, even more than before.
Harbin Clinic is hosting a special virtual event this month to answer questions and get guidance in reference to good cardiovascular health.
Coffee with Cardiologists will take place Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 8 a.m. as a virtual Q&A with six Harbin Clinic cardiologists representing Rome, Cartersville, and Calhoun.
The event is being held in honor of February being American Heart Month.
During the event, cardiovascular experts will discuss prioritization of heart health as it relates to maintaining overall wellness, easy and effective lifestyle changes to optimize heart function, and how strong vascular health plays a significant role in the fight against COVID-19.
Epidemiologists and cardiologists realized early in the pandemic that those with cardiovascular disease are more than twice as likely to experience severe forms of COVID-19. While death rates from COVID-19 begin to decline in Northwest Georgia, cardiovascular disease remains a major predictor of hospitalizations and poorer outcomes.
Pre-existing heart conditions, such as damaged heart muscles or blocked arteries, weaken the body’s ability to fight off severe illnesses. A patient with a weakened heart is more likely to experience fever, low oxygen levels, unstable blood pressures, and blood clotting, which can complicate a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Those who register are encouraged to submit a question they would like the physicians to address. To learn more and register for the virtual event, visit events. harbinclinic.com.
Coffee with Cardiologists is hosted in partnership with the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce, the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce, and the Rome-Floyd Chamber of Commerce.