Banished like a slob last year for his refusal of the coronavirus vaccine?utm_source=recirculation&utm_medium=hyperlien&utm_campaign=corps_texte” target=”_blank”>COVID-19, Novak Djokovic had watched, helpless, Rafael Nadal conquer his 21e Grand Slam title. The over-motivated Serb is back in Melbourne, and you’ll have to be damn strong to beat him.
Does he feel galvanized by the opportunity to equal the record of Grand Slam titles held by Nadal at 22 after Roland-Garros last year?
” Sure ! he decides. My record here is also one of the main reasons why I’m so happy to be back in Australia. »
If Nadal is the king of clay with his 14 trophies at Roland-Garros, Djokovic is that of Melbourne, where he has already won nine times since 2008, including three in the last four editions. Having not played last year, he is on a current streak of 21 consecutive victories at the Australian Open, where he has a total of 82 wins for 8 losses (91% of victories), and even 64 victories for 3 defeats (95.5%) since his elimination in the quarterfinals in 2010.
In the eyes of 1988 winner Mats Wilander, Djokovic is . “I think we have never seen a player more hungry for revenge and victory,” said the Swede, now a consultant for Eurosport.
Heavy to bear for months, the feeling of being “the big bad” after his expulsion from Australia last January has dissipated, and the 35-year-old Serb seems particularly happy to be able to play again this Major of the antipodes which smiled so much.
Talking results
“My results are testimony to how I feel here,” he noted two days before the start of the tournament, acknowledging that he was “a little moved” by the reception of the public on Friday during a match. charity played against the enfant terrible and darling of the local public, Nick Kyrgios.
Deprived of the Australian Open, Djokovic also missed the American tournaments last year. But, fully assuming the consequences of his refusal of the vaccine against COVID-19 (he notably fell in the ATP ranking to 8e rank and play in Melbourne as 5e world), he took advantage of these weeks without a tournament to do something that he admits to not doing normally because of the accumulation of tournaments: work in depth on his game and his physique.
“I was able to think with my team and work on my body, but also on my shots, which allowed me to obtain very good results afterwards”, underlines the player who won five of the eleven last year. tournaments played, including Wimbledon and the Masters.
For his cover in 2023, he started by adding a 92e title to his collection by winning in Adelaide.
physical alert
“I’m in great shape,” he said. I’m happy with the way I played in Adelaide, where I beat some very good players. »
Some of them will stand in his way in Melbourne where, in the absence of world number one Carlos Alcaraz, we expect Félix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Stefanos Tsitsipas…
“There are a lot of young people who are hungry for victories. They want my scalp on a big court […]but I know that when I’m healthy and playing my best tennis, on this court (Rod Laver), I have my chances against absolutely anyone,” retorted the Serbian champion.
However, precisely, he had to cut short Wednesday, after half an hour, a training with Medvedev because of a pain in the hamstrings.
“I have been suffering a little for seven days. But that shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, “he said on Saturday, three days before facing Roberto Carballes (75e) in the first round.
“Until then, I have been able to train, play points, practice rounds. It’s a positive sign”, he underlines, while acknowledging that he is “more cautious” than usual, part of his exceptional physical work being to develop the flexibility of a gymnast. Goal, lift the Norman Brooks Cup for the tenth time on January 29.
Nadal is convinced of this: the Djoker is “without a doubt the favorite”. In addition, a new title would allow the Serb to regain the place of world number one abandoned last year by his sanitary eviction from certain tournaments.