Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open title, ties Nadal with 22nd Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic climbed into the Rod Laver Arena stands to celebrate his 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title Sunday and, after jumping and pumping his fists with his team, he collapsed onto his back, crying.

When he returned to the playing surface, Djokovic sat on his sideline bench, buried his face in a white towel and sobbed some more.

This trip to Australia was far more successful than that of a year ago, when he was deported from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. And Djokovic accomplished all he could have possibly wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis, declaring: "This probably is the, I would say, biggest victory of my life."

Only briefly challenged in the final, Djokovic was simply better at the most crucial moments and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). As a bonus, Djokovic will vault from No. 5 to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for more weeks than any other man.

"I want to say this has been one of the most challenging tournaments I've ever played in my life, considering the circumstances. Not playing last year; coming back this year," Djokovic said, wearing a zip-up white jacket with a "22" on his chest. "And I want to thank all the people that made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable, to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia."

WATCH l Djokovic tops Tsitsipas in straight sets:

Djokovic ties Rafael Nadal's all-time majors record with 10th Aussie Open title

2 years ago

Duration 2:51

The dominant Serbian wins his 22nd grand slam to equal Nadal's overall career mark while extending his own record with a 10th Australian Open championship.

The 35-year-old from Serbia stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run there in the Open era, which dates to 1968. He adds trophy No. 10 to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Open — where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots — and two from the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man.

Only two women — Margaret Court, with 24, and Serena Williams, with 23 — are ahead of him.

This was also the 93rd ATP tour-level title for Djokovic, breaking a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most.

"I would like to thank you for pushing our sport so far," Tsitsipas told Djokovic.

Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second — and the 24-year-old from Greece also lost the other, at the 2021 French Open, to Djokovic.

On a cool evening under a cloud-filled sky, and with a soundtrack of chants from supporters of both men prompting repeated pleas for quiet from the chair umpire, Djokovic was superior throughout, especially so in the two tiebreakers.

He took a 4-1 lead in the first, then reeled off the last three points. He led 5-0 in the closing tiebreaker and, when it finished, he pointed to his temple before screaming, a prelude to all of the tears.

"Very emotional for us. Very emotional for him," said Djokovic's coach, Goran Ivanisevic. "It's a great achievement. It was a really tough three weeks for him. He managed to overcome everything."

Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. How did that work out? Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30.

'I did everything possible'

Then again, on those rare occasions that Tsitsipas did charge the net, Djokovic often conjured up a passing shot that was too tough to handle.

It's not as though Tsitsipas played all that poorly, other than a rash of early miscues that seemed to be more a product of tension than anything.

It's that Djokovic was too unyielding. Too accurate with his strokes, making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble).

"I did everything possible," said Tsitsipas, who also would have moved to No. 1 with a victory, replacing Carlos Alcaraz, who sat out the Australian Open with a leg injury.

Perhaps. Yet Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes some more, until it's the opponent who is something less than perfect on one swing, either missing or providing an opening to pounce.

That's what happened when Tsitsipas held his first break point, which was also a set point, while ahead 5-4 in the second and Djokovic serving at 30-40. Might this be a fulcrum? Might Djokovic relent? Might Tsitsipas surge?

Uh, no.

A 15-stroke point concluded with Djokovic smacking a cross-court forehand winner that felt like a statement. Two misses by Tsitsipas followed: A backhand long, a forehand wide. Those felt like capitulation. Even when Tsitsipas actually did break in the third, Djokovic broke right back.

There has been more than forehands and backhands on Djokovic's mind over the past two weeks.

There was the not-so-small matter of last year's legal saga — he has alternately acknowledged the whole thing served as a form of motivation but also said the other day, "I'm over it" — and curiosity about the sort of reception he would get when allowed to enter Australia because pandemic restrictions were eased.

He heard a ton of loud support, but also dealt with some persistent heckling while competing, including applause after faults Sunday.

There was the sore left hamstring that has been heavily bandaged for every match — until the final, that is, when only a single piece of beige athletic tape was visible.

And then there was the complicated matter of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a group of people with Russian flags — one with an image of Vladimir Putin — after Djokovic's quarterfinal. The tournament banned spectators from carrying flags of Russia or Belarus, saying they would cause disruption because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding; Srdjan thought he was with Serbian fans.

Still, Srdjan Djokovic did not attend his son's semifinal or the final.

No matter any of it, Djokovic excelled as he so often has.

"He is the greatest," Tsitsipas said, "that has ever held a tennis racket."

Krejcikova, Siniakova win women's doubles

Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova have extended their Grand Slam tournament winning streak to 24 matches with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Japan's Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara to win the Australian Open women's doubles title on Sunday.

It was the seventh Grand Slam doubles title by the Czech pair, who broke their Japanese opponents' serve in each of the first games of the sets.

The Czech players won last year's Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open doubles titles.

"A big thanks to my partner Barbora," said Siniakova. "I'm so happy we did it again, it was a nice journey."

Krejcikova said there was a "lot of hard work" behind the winning streak.

"So many practices," she said. "I remember many matches that we got really close. Couple times we were to the semifinals at other Slams, and we weren't just able to get through. I think with the experience and with everything, as the teams are changing, some teams are not playing anymore or they're retiring, just generation is changing, as well."

Aoyama and Shibahara were appearing in their 10th final together and first at a Grand Slam tournament.

"It was just so close … I feel like it was just right there," Shibahara said. "Obviously our opponents were just too good and solid.

"I feel like the experience was just the difference. I know that I think the next time we'll have a better shot at it. Overall I'm just really proud of how we've been playing together, so really excited for what's to come."