21 February 2021

Australian Open day 14: Title number nine for Novak Djokovic

21 February 2021

Novak Djokovic continued to defeat all-comers on Rod Laver Arena, winning his ninth Australian Open title with victory over Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian went into the final on a 20-match winning streak and was expected to push the world number one hard, but Djokovic was imperious in a 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory.

Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram fell just short in their bid to retain their men’s doubles title, losing 6-3 6-4 to Croatian Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek of Slovakia.

Picture of the day

Novak Djokovic stretches to hit a backhand behind his back (AP)

Quote of the day

We're talking about some Cyborgs of tennis, in a good way. They're just unbelievable.

Booing mars ceremony

Fans booing the mention of vaccines and the local Victorian Government was not the way tournament organisers would have hoped to finish.

Osaka’s mis-step

About the only thing Naomi Osaka has got wrong this fortnight was when she took the trouble to ask final opponent Jennifer Brady whether she likes to be called Jennifer or Jenny during her acceptance speech and then promptly called her the opposite.

Osaka was mortified when she became aware of her mistake, saying on Twitter: “Omg no. I promise you my mind thought I called her Jenny in that moment and I was so confused why the crowd was laughing. I’m so sorry.”

Paire at fault

Irascible Frenchman Benoit Paire’s stay at the Australian Open lasted only one match and four sets but despite that he topped the tournament standings for double faults in the men’s singles alongside Djokovic.

Roll of honour

Men’s singles: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)Women’s singles: Naomi Osaka (Japan)Men’s doubles: Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Filip Polasek (Slovakia)Women’s doubles: Elise Mertens (Belgium) and Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)Mixed doubles: Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) and Rajeev Ram (USA)Men’s wheelchair singles: Joachim Gerard (Belgium)Women’s wheelchair singles: Diede De Groot (Holland)Men’s wheelchair doubles: Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid (Great Britain)Women’s wheelchair doubles: Diede De Groot and Aniek Van Koot (Holland)Quad wheelchair singles: Dylan Alcott (Australia)Quad wheelchair doubles: Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson (Australia)

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