Stefanos Tsitsipas might be taking part in in a Grand Slam remaining for the second time in his profession on Sunday evening on the Australian Open, and as soon as once more it’s Novak Djokovic who stands in Tsitsipas’ means of a primary slam title.
The Greek might hardly have come any nearer once they squared off within the 2021 French Open championship match. He led two units to like solely to see Djokovic storm again for a 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory to steal La Coupe des Mousquetaires.
Djokovic has received all 4 of their conferences since that Roland Garros remaining and he’s on a nine-match profitable streak general in opposition to Tsitsipas that has him main the head-to-head collection 10-2. Tsitsipas’ wins got here in 2018 (Toronto) and 2019 (Shanghai). Though it has been nothing however the brief finish for him ever since, that’s to not say the 24-year-old hasn’t been aggressive. He fell to Djokovic in one other five-setter within the 2020 French Open semis, three of their final 4 best-of-three matches have featured at the very least one tiebreaker (together with a final-set ‘breaker final fall in Paris), and a 2021 Rome quarterfinal conflict resulted in a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 scoreline.
Being aggressive with Djokovic will not be one thing anybody has been ready to do that fortnight. Enzo Couacaud managed to take a set within the second spherical, however the 35-year-old in any other case trounced Roberto Carballes Baena, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, and Tommy Paul. The final three performances in opposition to De Minaur (6-2, 6-1, 6-2), Rublev (6-1, 6-2, 6-4), and Paul (7-5, 6-1, 6-2) have been particularly spectacular.
Nonetheless, these outcomes aren’t sufficient to put in writing Tsitsipas off. 5 of these six opponents are comparatively defensive gamers who counter-punch–by no means a recipe for fulfillment in opposition to Djokovic. Rublev is the one one with vital firepower, however whereas the Russian’s forehand is big he doesn’t serve large and doesn’t go to the online. With the way in which Djokovic is taking part in proper now, no one goes to beat him with out profitable free factors on serve and conserving factors brief by ending them on the internet.
In contrast to the Serb’s first six foes, Tsitsipas can do all of these issues. The world No. 4’s all-court sport has been on show all through this fortnight, throughout which he has ousted Quentin Halys, Rinky Hijikata, Tallon Griekspoor, Jannik Sinner, Jiri Lehecka, and Karen Khachanov. Sinner snagged two units and Khachanov took one, however Tsitsipas received the primary two units in each of these matches earlier than taking his foot off the gasoline pedal. If the third seed can get off to a different quick begin on Sunday evening, he might make issues fascinating.
“These are the moments I’ve been working exhausting for,” stated Tsitsipas, who will even develop into No. 1 on the earth for the primary time if he takes the title. “To have the ability to play finals like this, however finals which have greater that means than only a remaining. It’s a Grand Slam remaining; I’m preventing for the No. 1 spot. It’s a childhood dream to be capturing the No. 1 spot someday. I’m shut. I’m blissful that this chance comes right here in Australia and never someplace else, as a result of this can be a place of significance.”
For no man has Australia been extra vital than Djokovic, who’s already the file holder with 9 titles. At the moment fifth within the rankings, Djokovic will even get again to the highest spot with a win on Sunday.
“Profitable Grand Slams and being the No. 1 on the earth might be the 2 greatest peaks which you could climb as an expert tennis participant,” he commented. “So let’s see what occurs.”
It will virtually definitely be Djokovic’s hardest take a look at of the match, however primarily based on each his present kind and his illustrious historical past Down Below you may’t wager in opposition to him.
Choose: Djokovic in 4
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.