Plenty of drama Down Under at record breaking Autralian Open

Spectator attendance at the Melbourne Stadium has surpassed the one million mark, another Australian Open record, speaking volumes for the high standard of tennis on display and the fact that this has become a premier sporting Mecca, but also adding volume to the decibel level of the typically raucous crowd.

However, when Channel Nine television commentator, Tony Jones, pointed a derogatory finger at the behaviour of a small group of Serbian fans, he incurred the wrath of the King of Rod Laver Arena, 10 x champion Novak Djokovic.

The all time great and Serbian patriot snubbed Jim Courier, also a former Australian Open champion, in a post match interview, after beating Czech, Jiri Lehecka, in the 4th Round in straight sets.

Public apology

Djokovic demanded a public apology from Jones, which was immediately forthcoming.

Unfortunately for World No.3, Carlos Alcaraz, this added fuel to Djokovic’s quest to blow away his nemesis, in their subsequent Quarters clash, which the Serb did, despite losing the first set to the Spaniard.

It was after winning both the second and third sets that Djokovic overtly blew kisses to a big contingent of Serbians, indicating his motivation for this 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 triumph, was redemption for them.

The moral of the story is avoid poking the bear, or in this instance the wolf, before a big match. That said, it was always going to be less of a Teflon mind over matter and coach Andy Murray’s divine inspiration, for an already wounded warrior to have to demolish not only the World No.3, but No.1 and 2, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, back to back, to lift an 11th trophy.

Concedes defeat

The GOAT shocked the world, when he abruptly walked around the net and conceded defeat on account of a torn muscle to Zverev in their much anticipated semi-final , having lost the first set tie break 6-7(6).

Zverev, cheaply through to the Final, is hoping to be the first German to win the Australian Open since Boris Becker in 1996, but more importantly to shake the monkey off his back in terms of winning his maiden Slam.

Meanwhile Defending champion, Sinner – whose only loss in a string of 35 odd straight victories, has been to Alcaraz in the China Open 2024 – demolished Australian No.1, Alex, De Minaur in their quarter-final 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, much to the anguish of his Australian fans, silenced for the first time.

Ironically Chilean, Nicolas Jarry, has been Sinner’s toughest competitor so far in this draw, coming close to robbing the Italian of the first two sets in their opening clash, in which Sinner prevailed 7-6,(2)7-6(5) 6-1.

Then there’s the Americans

However, take a bow the lower ranked Americans, Ben Shelton and Madison Keys, who outshone their 3rd & 12th-seeded compatriots, Coco Gauff and Tommy Paul, in reaching the Semis.

Keys had to save a match point to stun World No.2, Iga Swiatek in clinching a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8)victory, while Paul certainly did not disgrace himself in his quarter-final versus Zverev, adopting the right game plan in approaching the net, to keep the rallies short, although ultimately capitulating 7-6,(1),7-6,(0), 2-6, 6-1.

Zverev would do well, to embrace the forecourt more often himself, if he is to stand any chance of felling Top Dog, Sinner.

Former Top 10, Paula Badosa also contributed a major upset, after sending Gauff, a 2024 semi-finalist in Melbourne, packing in a 7-5, 6-4, straight set win, catapulting the Spaniard into her first ever Slam Semi.

What makes the victory sweeter, was that a lingering back injury forced her to consider retirement, a year ago and yet, her fighting spirit has delivered a big scalp( Gauff) and a comeback into the Top 10.

Fortune as this Slam has so poignantly shown, undoubtedly favors the brave – those of the brave still standing.