The Australian Tennis Open 2023 is now already part of history. It resulted, not surprisingly, in a resounding victory for Novak Djokovic.
There is no doubt that, especially in the tournament’s second week, he dominated his games against Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, and Tommy Paul. In the final, Stefanos Tsitsipas offered some inspired resistance and brilliant tennis but could not avoid a defeat by the now legendary Serbian champion.
A capacity-filled Rod Laver Arena and thousands of fans watching the game on the big screen outside the Arena witnessed how Djokovic won the final in three closely contested sets, 3-6; 6-7; and 6-7. In the process, he systematically frustrated Tsitsipas’s valiant attempt to win.
During the tournament, Djokovic experienced some discomfort in his left thigh, which was heavily bandaged for most of his second-week matches, but it did not prevent him from playing superb tennis.
Djokovic’s supporters will now be able to claim that he is the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) tennis player.
Controversies Outside the Court
The tournament has not been without controversy. The toxic mixing of sports and politics diminished the status of the tournament. Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, was spotted in the company of pro-Putin Russian supporters, standing behind a Russian flag.Russian and Belarussian flags, the Russian Eagle banner, and clothing with the Z symbol were prohibited at the Open because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As there were demands for Srdjan to be deported, he decided to watch the semi-final and final from his Melbourne accommodation.
Even the participation of Djokovic at the tournament provided for controversy. At the eve of the tournament in 2022, an unvaccinated Djokovic was deported and banned for three years from returning to Australia. However, the ban was overturned in November enabling Djokovic to play.
There are those who claim that his notoriety and fame led to the premature overturning of the ban—in effect a form of preferential treatment that would not be available to many other people.
Nevertheless, for people who opposed the oppressive Australian COVID-19 regulations, Djokovic’s principled opposition to vaccine mandates is praiseworthy. His supporters highly regard him for refusing the jab, which for them is potentially ineffective at best and dangerous at worst.
Aryna Sabalenka, a Belarussian player, won the Women’s singles title. Being Belarussian, she was allowed to participate as an individual, but her nationality was not acknowledged, and the Belarussian flag was nowhere to be seen during her final.
A Political Arena
Then, there is the never-ending and insincere recitation of “The Acknowledgment of Country” at the beginning of the championship ceremony. The robotic ritual involves paying respect to the Indigenous Elders on whose land the competition is held and implies that white Australians are colonisers who should not be there in the first place.During the last couple of years, there has also been a push by prominent former players to rename the Margaret Court Arena. The Open is used as an opportunity to continue the unending witch hunt against Margaret Court for expressing her Christian views about societal developments that destabilise Western civilisation.
She is concerned about the welfare of children who grow up without a father and is critical of the governments’ adoption of identity dysphoria legislation.
It remains to be seen whether Tennis Australia will refuse to cancel the legacy of the world’s foremost tennis player, who won 24 Grand Slam singles titles. In honouring Margaret Court and by focusing on her tennis exploits, Tennis Australia would signal its support for the right to free speech.
In this tournament, players were allowed to be coached by members of their support team. This allowance is distracting as evidenced by some disrupting exchanges between players and their team. It is not a development worthy of repetition.
Apart from these controversies, there was some stunning tennis on display. There were also some unexpected early exits: Nadal, the defending champion lost in the second round against an unfancied Mackenzie McDonald because of a serious hip injury, and the women’s number one player, Iga Swiatek, lost against the eventual runner up, Elena Rybakina.
Djokovic’s Australian Open win is his 93rd tournament win, a phenomenal statistic.
Prior to the Australian Open, Djokovic had also won the Adelaide International tournament where he prevailed in a scintillating final against a surprisingly tenacious Sebastian Korda.
Tennis enthusiasts will undoubtedly regret the impact of controversies and politics on the tournament. However, the tournament does remain a showpiece for the very best the sport has to offer.
