09:48
Stefanos Tsitsipas 0-0 Novak Djokovic
A powerful forehand, which Tsitsipas cannot walk, is followed by the Serb’s first ace. A good start for the favorites – 40:0.
09:47
Stefanos Tsitsipas 0-0 Novak Djokovic
The first point goes to the serving Serbs, Tsitsipas does not get his forehand return into the field.
09:46
Dinner is served
The two protagonists are warmed up, Novak Djokovic will serve the first game. Let’s go – the final of the Australian Open 2023 begins!
09:38
head to head
By the way: The head-to-head balance clearly goes to Djoker, who won ten out of twelve duels. So the question of favorites is settled. The walk on court is running.
09:35
show begins
The trophy is carried towards the court in front of the eyes of the Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, after whom the arena is named. In a few minutes, the warm-up phase for the players will begin.
09:32
Tsitsipas is ready
“He’s in great shape,” said Djokovic about today’s opponent in the final. And the Greek is also willing: “I couldn’t be more ready.” Tsitsipas is “a lot hungry” to win the first Grand Slam title of his career.
09:29
Special Tournament
This Grand Slam tournament is another special experience for Djokovic, who is already so experienced. Last year’s vaccination posse, the discussions during the tournament about his thigh injury and the photos of his father with fans showing pro-Russian symbols – many background noises accompanied the Serb. He was able to gradually free himself from this and recently seemed more liberated than at the beginning of the title fights in Melbourne. So this tournament victory would also be a special one for Djoker – it is not for nothing that the no longer youngest tennis player emphasizes that it is “a golden opportunity to win another trophy”.
09:22
Tournament Paths
On the way to the final, both players did not have to master the very difficult tasks – also due to the early death of the favorites. Titsipas’ opponents with the biggest names were Karen Khachanov in the semifinals, whom he defeated in four sets, and already in the round of 16 Jannik Sinner, against whom the Greek had to go the full distance of five sets. Djokovic’s opponents were sometimes quite complicated, but the Serb dominated them at will – regardless of whether they were called Dimitrov, De Minaur, Rublev or Paul. The Djoker only lost one set during the tournament and is the favorite today.
09:16
2023 undefeated
The season hasn’t lasted long, but both have a flawless record to date. That the two finalists remained undefeated at the Australian Open – logical. But both players have not suffered defeat before – Tsitsipas impressed at the United Cup, while Djokovic won the 250 tournament in Adelaide. Both are still undefeated in 2023!
09:11
number one in the world
Today’s winner not only wins the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, but will also take the place in the sun in the world rankings at the same time – a not particularly unusual feeling for Djokovic, but for Tsitsipas: The Greek would be for the first time be allowed to name the world number one.
09:01
Record winner vs. title newcomer
So it is also the final between the Australian Open dominator of the last decade and a potential title newcomer. Tsitsipas has been in a Grand Slam final once in his young career, but lost it in Roland Garros in 2021 to today’s opponent Djokovic – so the Greek is still waiting for his first big tournament win. Djokovic’s record in the “Happy Slam” alone, on the other hand, is impressive: Djoker was in the final of the Australian Open nine times – and won nine times. The Serb has never lost a final in Melbourne and is keen to continue that streak today to claim his tenth title as a clear record winner.
08:54
duel of generations
Although Stefanos Tsitsipas has been successfully on the tour for several years and has had some notable successes to celebrate, it is still a duel of generations to a certain extent – again. The changing of the guard in tennis has been expected for a long time, the young generation with more experienced players like Tsitsipas, Zverev and Medvedev as well as the absolute youngsters like Sinner and Alcaraz are scratching their hooves. But all too often they have not been able to dethrone the older tennis greats, and in the past two years Djokovic (four titles) and Nadal (two) have won six of the eight Grand Slam tournaments.
08:45
Hunt for the 22nd
Nadal, Federer and Djokovic – the Big Three of tennis shared first place in the Grand Slam winners list at this time last year. The three had won 20 major tournaments each before Nadal moved away to 22 by winning the Australian Open and his favorite tournament, the French Open. Djokovic countered at Wimbledon and now has 21 Grand Slam tournament wins. With a final victory today, the Serb would draw level with Nadal again in a long-distance duel on 22 titles.
08:38
Warm welcome
Good morning and a warm welcome to the first men’s Grand Slam decision of the year! After Aryna Sabalenka declared herself the winner of the women’s singles yesterday, the winner of the men’s singles will be sought from around 9:30 a.m. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic will fight for the title at Rod Laver Arena.