Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 10th Australian Open title

Novak Djokovic on Sunday defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece to win the men's singles final match as he clinched the encounter 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) at the Rod Laver Arena to claim the record-extending 10th Australian Open title.

With this victory, the 35-year-old returned to the top spot in the ATP rankings for the first time since last June. He will now replace Carlos Alcaraz as world number 1.

“He's the greatest that has ever held a tennis racket,” Tsitsipas said, as per the news agency Associated Press.

With the win, the Serbian has also tied Rafael Nadal's record of 22 Grand Slam crowns.

The atmosphere was electric and the crowd was often unruly as Serbian and Greek fans bayed in the terraces as if roaring on football teams, a Reuters report revealed.

The 35-year-old Serb tapped his temple then his heart as he walked forward to shake hands with Tsitsipas before jumping into his player's box where he embraced his mum and cried.

Djokovic's triumph was the ultimate redemption a year on from his sensational deportation from Australia on the eve of the Grand Slam due to his lack of Covid-19 vaccination.

Meanwhile, Djokovic's father was absent from his son's player's box for the Australian Open final Sunday following a controversy over images of him posing with a Russian flag featuring Vladimir Putin.

Srdjan Djokovic was not sitting courtside with the former world number one's coaching staff and his mother Dijana at the start of the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas at Rod Laver Arena, AFP pointed out earlier.

Djokovic defeated Tsitsipas who would have taken the top spot himself with a win in Sunday's final.

(With agency inputs)

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