Australian Open 2023 – Novak Djokovic wanted to “send a message” to the competition

Stop everything and give him the trophy. It will be simpler. Novak Djokovic has dismantled Andrey Rublev as he had boned Alex de Minaur in the previous round, reducing them to sympathetic but totally harmless sparring partners. So here he is in the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the 10th time. History to complete the hopes of the competition still alive in this tournament, remember that, the first nine times, the story ended in the same way: with the Norman Brookes trophy in the Serbian suitcases. “Yes, but the stats don’t mean anything“. Maybe. Except with Djokovic in Melbourne.

Beyond the figures, it is above all the impression left by the “Djoker” over the past forty-eight hours that prevents us from being even reasonably optimistic for Tommy Paul, his opponent in the semi-finals on Friday, or Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov, who will fight for the other ticket to the final. It’s the very best Djokovic that rages in this second week at Melbourne Park.

In expedited mode, Djokovic never let Rublev believe it

After matches like this, the level of confidence increases, especially given the circumstances (his thigh injury, Ed), he admitted. I feel good on the court, better and better as the tournament progresses. I’ve been in this situation so many times in my career, I’ve never lost in the semis or the final at the Australian Open. Let’s hope it does again.”

Yes, we can say that there is a little more this year

Has he ever been so strong in Melbourne? The question may seem absurd as he won here. He refuses to compare. “I can’t say I’m more confident than I’ve ever been because I’ve had the chance to experience some amazing matches and editions here, reminds ‘Nole’. But clearly, these last two matches against two very good players in excellent form, that’s exactly what I wanted at this point in the tournament. This is the kind of message I wanted to send. I know that others are watching my matches. I look at theirs.”

Andrey Rublev, the last before the next to go through the Serbian grinder, was impressed. He knew that a victory would be a colossal feat, but no doubt he hoped at least to exist on the court. “I had faced him three times and he never played so welljudges the Russian. He was even stronger than in Turin.“At the Masters, last November, he had already lost severely, 6-4, 6-1, in the semi-finals. But according to him, it was still a superior dimension on the Rod Laver Arena.

Already dominating since last summer, since he had won 25 of his last 26 matches of the season after Roland-Garros, Djokovic seems to have moved up a gear again, which was anything but obvious. Perhaps the events of twelve months ago in Melbourne had something to do with it. “I never lack determination, I always give my best, especially in Grand Slams, because at my age, all tournaments count. But yes, we can say that there is a little more this year, he admits. Because of my thigh injury, and what happened last year.”

It is no longer possible to be surprised with someone like Novak Djokovic. Even less here in Melbourne. But it is not forbidden to be still and always impressed. Even his former coach Boris Becker remains blown away by his “ability to put out your best tennis, again and again, after all these years, when it matters most“He seems to have no match for him in this Australian Open 2023, not only to beat him, but simply to give him a hard time.”Now,we are only four, and I can’t wait to move on“, he says We understand it.

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