Category: Tennis Forecast

Rafael Nadal and Kylian Mbappe have both accused Novak Djokovic of faking an injury

When queried about his ailment during their match, Djokovic’s opponent from the fourth round, Alex de Minaur, remarked that everything “looked good.” However, commentator Todd Woodbridge believed that Djokovic was “playing up” his condition.

Enzo Couacaud, Djokovic’s opponent in the second round, has now voiced his opinion on the subject, stating that it seems “far-fetched” and “hard to believe.” The Serbian could win the competition despite suffering from what tournament director Craig Tiley eventually revealed to be a 3cm hamstring injury.

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According to Couacaud, Novak “said he was playing with an ailment, a serious injury.” “When sportsmen are hurt in combat sports, they frequently cannot continue. Rafael Nadal cannot run after an injury. Kylian Mbappe is sidelined for two weeks.

It is impossible to imagine that only one man in the world can persist with an injury since those are the best athletes, not people who lack access to top-notch care.

“When you consider Nadal or Mbappe as examples, particularly Rafa, who couldn’t even serve at Wimbledon due to injury. Suppose you contrast the best player who cannot play with a player who wins a Grand Slam by competing every day for 15 days. It still seems a little odd.”

“There are minor things that don’t make sense to me. I was always instructed not to stretch with an injury. You saw Novak flexing all the time. They may have a new method in Serbia, or it’s bizarre. He has a team to handle such little matters, but I’m too far away to assess their truthfulness. True, it appears difficult to believe.”

During the competition, Djokovic did respond to those who questioned the integrity of his injury, saying: “Interestingly, only my injuries are being examined, but when other players get hurt, and it affects them, then they are the victims, and I’m just a pretend player, so let them keep having doubts.”

“I don’t think I need to defend myself to anyone. I have a recording, an MRA, and an ultrasound to confirm. I don’t know if I will use that information in the documentary; not.”

“I am not at all concerned with what others may think; it is a pleasure for me to carry on the story distinct from that of some other gamers. I’m used to dealing with it; it inspires me and gives me more strength.

 

Australian Open 2023 Novak Djokovic Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 10th title in Melbourne

By defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the championship match at Rod Laver Arena, Novak Djokovic has captured his 10th Australian Open title and a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam trophy.

The Serbian star defeated first-time Australian Open contender Tsitsipas on Sunday with scores of 6-3, 7-6 (4), and 7-6 (5) despite having dropped one set throughout the competition due to a left hamstring injury he had expressed concern about.

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Djokovic reclaimed the top spot in the world from Carlos Alcaraz due to conquering the first Grand Slam of the year.

The 35-year-old was barred from playing in Australian Open a year ago after being evicted from the nation for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

Since then, governmental limitations have been loosened, and even though he has yet to have a COVID vaccination, he was able to obtain a visa this time.

After the match, Djokovic stated, “I have to say this has been the most difficult tournament I have ever played… not playing last year, coming back this year. “Only the team and the family are aware of our difficulties over the past four or five weeks.”

Djokovic now has a 28-match winning streak in the hard-court competition.

His tenth trophy in Australia adds to his previous record. His 22 major titles, which include seven Wimbledon titles, three US Open titles, and two French Open titles, tie Rafael Nadal for the most by a player in tennis history.

There was a boisterous mood because Melbourne has sizable Greek and Serbian communities. Rod Laver was also present.

Having triumphed in his previous nine Australian Open final matches and holding a 10-2 career advantage over the Greek, Djokovic entered the game with high confidence.

Against Tsitsipas, he consistently outperformed him, particularly in the two tiebreakers in particular.

Following a 4-all tie, Djokovic won the final three games to take a 4-1 lead in the opening set. With a 5-0 lead in the decisive tiebreaker, he pointed to his temple after it was over and climbed into the stands, pumping his fist and jumping together with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and other guests of the entourage before collapsing in tears.

Returning to the court, Djokovic slumped on his side bench, buried his face in a white towel, and sobbed again.

The women with the most championships are Steffi Graf with 22, Serena Williams with 23, and Margaret Court with 24.

Djokovic also broke a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most ATP tour-level titles with this triumph, which was his 93rd. At 109, Jimmy Connors now owns the record.

Djokovic competed in his 33rd major final, while Tsitsipas was in his second. The 24-year-first old’s major final, which took place at the 2021 French Open, also saw Djokovic defeat Tsitsipas.

 

Tommy Paul’s Australian run helps make US men relevant again

Tommy Paul was too young in 2003 to recall Andy Roddick winning the American. The final Grand Slam singles championship won by an American was the Open.

Paul, now 25 years old, recalls seeing banners advertising the victory at the North Carolina tennis club where he first learned the game. Paul noted that Roddick’s Reebok attire caught his attention the most.

Paul, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and Karen Khachanov of Russia to advance to the Australian Open semifinals, said with a smile, “I was salty when he switched to Lacoste. I was like, ‘He won’t be able to win another Slam right now..'” Novak Djokovic of Serbia will face Paul in the other semifinal on Friday. “I assumed the attire was to blame.”

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Although a trio of men named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic probably had more to do with where the league titles continued throughout Roddick’s career. And beyond — any clothing choices, that victory at Flushing Meadows 20 years ago still stands as the last Grand Slam singles victory for any American man.

One of the instances of how U.S. men are suddenly back in demand in tennis is Paul’s run at Melbourne Park.

The coaches have been saying to us, “We need new Americans. We need new Americans,” since I was a young child, and it’s inscribed in my head, Paul remarked, tapping his forehead with his right index finger. We all want to perform. In other words, we all want it very much for ourselves and American tennis.

Following Frances Tiafoe’s run to the semifinals at the U.S. Open, Paul achieves a significant breakthrough. Before this, Paul had never advanced past the fourth round at a major. During the Open in September, he defeated Nadal before falling to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Since Roddick lost to Federer in the 2006 U.S. Open final, this is the first time in 16 years that American men have advanced to the last four at two major tournaments. Australian Open in 2007 and fell to him in the semifinals.

More evidence supports the notion that a country that produced Don Budge, Bill Tilden, Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and others did not count in men’s tennis in recent years. Serena and Venus Williams, among others, ensured U.S. women remained at the forefront — should be taken more seriously.

Consider:

Many 20 plus Americans had impressive victories in the men’s bracket at the Australian Open, including Mackenzie McDonald defeating Nadal, the defending champion and No. 1 seed, Jenson Brooksby defeating Casper Ruud, the No. 2 seed, and Sebastian Korda defeating Daniil Medvedev, the No. 7 seed, who had finished as the runner-up the previous two years; the first American trio to reach the men’s quarterfinals in Melbourne since 2000 with Paul, Ben Shelton, and Korda;

Sam Querrey’s quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon in 2016 halted a streak of 22 majors and over 4 1/2 years during which no American male reached that stage at any Grand Slam event;

There are expected to be 10 Americans in the ATP top 50 on Monday, which was last achieved in June 1995. By the end of the Australian Open, Paul is most likely to climb into the top 20 for the first time, while other players are expected to make significant jumps.

With how some players perform, Shelton turned professional after winning the NCAA title match at the University of Florida last year, sophomore year. He advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals before falling to Paul in four sets on Wednesday. He said, “I don’t see why we couldn’t have 5, 6 guys in the top 20 at the end of this year.”

According to Shelton, American tennis has a great deal of promise. “I can’t wait to participate,” you said.

After that victory, Paul was questioned about the possible thoughts of his home supporters during his on-court interview at Rod Laver Arena.

Paul stated, “It’s not just thrilling for the American supporters. I’m pleased for Ben, and I’m excited for all the players that are coming up. It’s fantastic for fans worldwide and fabulous for us, too.

Djokovic accepted the premise.

He believes that having successful American tennis players participate in the final rounds of the most significant events and finally be heard can only be positive for the sport’s appeal.

“Because some of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world are held on the North American continent, Djokovic said, “America is a critical country for our sport. I think it’s important that we witness successful American men and women thriving. America is making, historically, always top players.” “I think that’s excellent for our sport,” said one sports fan. “Now you have a record of maybe four or five young athletes banging on the highest-level door.”

 

Tennis star criticizes Australian open ball

Rafael Nadal wasn’t happy with the Australian Open as he vented his frustration days before the start of the Grand Slam tournament.

The tennis great aimed the balls used in the 2023 tournament, calling them “lower quality.”

Nadal dominated last year in an epic five-set battle with Daniel Medvedev, a victory that gave him his 21st Grand Slam title. He leads Roger Federer on the all-time leaderboard.

He will start his 2023 season as the top seed on Monday afternoon when he takes on Great Britain’s Jack Draper.

However, the 36-year-old came on after underwhelming performances, losing twice to Australia’s Alex De Minaur and England’s Cameron Norrie during the Sydney Union Cup.

He then lost to world No. 11 Hubert Hurkacz in practice on Thursday. All three matches have one thing in common, which Nadal sees as the most significant problem at the Australian Open.

The Spaniard said he had adapted to the Melbourne ground but said Dunlop, the Open’s new official ball, was causing the problem.

“No, there’s isn’t much of a difference in the speed of the pitch. The ball, yes. I don’t know.

“They say (it’s) the same, but there’s no question the quality of the ball is worse. We can’t talk about that anymore. That’s what we have. We need to play around with it.

“It’s a ball that doesn’t spin like it normally does. After a couple of hits, the ball loses its pressure. The right spin takes more work to hit. But I think the game is better when you play nicer on the shot. easy.”

Nadal’s style of play has been based on insane topspin for years, but with the new ball, he finds himself behind the eight-ball.

Still, the 22-time Grand Slam winner didn’t hold back and was ready to adapt to the challenge of the ball.

“I need to live with it,” he added. “I’ve practiced enough with the ball to be ready for that.”

Nadal brushed off the fact that he has lost six of his last seven bouts, saying the past few weeks have been positive.

“My momentum is okay, I tell you. I’m fine and happy. I’ve practiced well. Then I need to win a few games,” Nadal said.

“If it’s going to happen here – I hope. If not, I will keep trying to get there as soon as possible. I’m in a moment of improvement, and I’m getting better and better every week. My legs feel faster. I feel more confident to play better. The past three weeks of preparation have been very positive.

He added: “I’d love to come here with a couple of wins, yeah. That didn’t happen, so I needed to accept and live with it. I’m happy with the rest of the game I’ve been working on. I’m ready to try and play an excellent game of tennis on Monday. Then I need to make it happen and fight for it.”

 

After Australian Open, Stosur will retire

Veteran Sam Stosur said Sunday the Australian Open would be her last, ending a 23-year career in which she won the singles Grand Slam title and seven other doubles championships.

The 38-year-old Australia’s most significant moment was her singles win over Serena Williams at the 2011 US Open, which she described as the “peak” of her career.

This week will be her 21st Australian Open.

“It was certainly a dream of mine to achieve that, and I did it,” she told reporters of her win at Flushing Meadows. “That moment I will never forget.

“I’m so blessed that I have so many great memories, yes, from the sport, winning, losing, traveling, on and off the field,” she added at Melbourne Park, where she will meet France’s Alize Cornet. Play doubles together.

After creating her Grand Slam debut at the 2002 Australian Open, Stosur is ranked No. 4 in the world in singles and No. 1 in doubles, a career-high.

She has won four Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, most recently at the 2021 US Open with China’s Zhang Shuai and three mixed doubles titles.

“I didn’t know what I could do,” she said, reflecting on her professional debut more than two decades ago.

“I dreamed about what I wanted to do, achieved it, and a lot more than I ever imagined. So I can walk away very proud.”