Novak: Controversial off court, sublime on it

IT’S been a turbulent 12 months in the life of Novak Djokovic, but the world number one can put it all behind him by winning a record-extending ninth Australian Open title today.

The world number one has always been a polarising figure for fans and pundits alike, with his on-court mastery tempered by a knack for controversy away from the arena.

Since winning his 17th Grand Slam in Melbourne a year ago ago, he has rarely been out of the headlines, mostly for the wrong reasons.

He began 2020 on a high, leading Serbia to lift the inaugural ATP Cup and then beat Dominic Thiem to lift his eighth Australian Open crown.

But the coronavirus pandemic meant the world’s tennis tours were suspended in March.

Three months later, Djokovic took it upon himself to launch his ill-fated Adria Tour.

The tournament in Belgrade had 4,000 spectators packed in while players shook hands and took selfies with fans, and ball kids handled sweaty towels – all during a global shutdown.

The inevitable happened. Djokovic, his wife Jelena and players Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all caught Covid.

Djokovic was then branded “tone deaf” for launching a breakaway Professional Tennis Players Association in August just as the sport was attempting to stagger back to its feet.

Days later, Djokovic was kicked out of the US Open after accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball he slapped a ball away in anger during the fourth round.

Controversy is never far away from Djokovic, who whipped up another storm for issuing a list of requests that reportedly included players being given private homes with tennis courts while in quarantine ahead of the Australian Open.

But once the action began all seemed well.

His ability to thrive among the greats is not in question, but there have often been doubts about the size of his heart after a series of big-tournament retirements.

Among his long list of withdrawals was the 2017 Wimbledon quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with a right shoulder injury. He pulled out again at the 2019 US Open with a left shoulder problem when two sets down to Stan Wawrinka.

But Djokovic can also find bravery in the face of adversity.

He could barely walk at times as he beat Taylor Fritz in five painful sets, and then grimaced in pain through matches against Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev despite having not trained.

By the time he beat Aslan Karatsev in the semi-final he proclaimed his fitness was the best it had been all tournament.

He now stands on the cusp of an 18th Grand Slam title and could by the end of the year be neck and neck with Roger Federer and Nadal who have 20 each.