Five Things We Learned From The Australian Open | ATP Tour

As we flip the web page from the primary month of the 2023 ATP Tour season, we glance again at a number of the key takeaways from the Australian Open. From the dominant performances of champion Novak Djokovic and finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas to the first-week odyssey of Andy Murray, there was no scarcity of storylines on the 12 months’s first Grand Slam.

1. Djokovic Units The Customary
The Serbian left Melbourne as World No. 1, reclaiming the highest spot within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time since final June. The honour is reward for a scintillating stretch of outcomes relationship again to Wimbledon: Djokovic is 38-2 because the begin of the grass-court Slam, successful six of his seven tour-level occasions in that span.

The 35-year-old carried his red-hot 2022 type into the brand new 12 months, peaking within the later rounds of the Australian Open. Regardless of a hamstring damage he suffered in Adelaide limiting his motion within the opening rounds, Djokovic dropped only one set in Melbourne — to Enzo Couacaud within the second spherical — earlier than hitting high type in devastatingly one-sided wins towards Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.

Examined by Tsitsipas within the last, the Serbian took a web page from a well-recognized playbook by being the extra stable participant within the clutch moments, successful two tie-breaks to safe a record-extending tenth Australian Open title and a record-tying twenty second Grand Slam males’s singles crown.

2. Tsitsipas Hits Prime Kind
The Greek had been to a few Australian Open semi-finals, together with every of the previous two, earlier than this season. However he broke new floor at what he affectionately calls his “dwelling Slam”, advancing to the title match with the lack of simply three units.

Whereas he missed out on the prospect to debut atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with defeat to Djokovic on Sunday, Tsitsipas is again as much as his profession excessive of World No. 3 after reaching his second main last. It is a becoming milestone for the 24-year-old, who showcased a number of the finest tennis of his profession in Melbourne, significantly off his highly effective forehand wing.

Following a robust near the 2022 season that included runs to 2 finals (Astana, Stockholm) and a semi-final (Paris), the Greek constructed on that success in Australia, the place he gained his first 10 singles matches relationship again to the United Cup. His most spectacular efficiency on the Australian Open got here within the fourth spherical, when he held off a livid comeback from Jannik Sinner to advance in 5 units.

3. American & Chinese language Males On The Rise
With Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton all reaching the AO quarter-finals, it marked the primary time since 2000 that three American males featured within the final eight Down Beneath — and the primary time america had three quarter-finalists at any Slam because the 2005 US Open. Paul, who broke into the Prime 20 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time on Monday, went on to succeed in the semis in his finest main displaying.

Eight People had been among the many final 32 in Melbourne, together with J.J. Wolf, who reached the fourth spherical. He’s one in every of 10 U.S. gamers within the Prime 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The 2023 Australian Open additionally marked a milestone for Chinese language males’s tennis. Shang Juncheng, Wu Yibing and Zhang Zhizhen grew to become the primary male trio from the nation to compete in a Grand Slam singles draw within the Open Period, and the primary in Australian Open historical past. The 17-year-old Shang, a qualifier, superior to the second spherical because the youngest participant within the subject.

4. Upsets Showcase ATP Tour’s Depth 
Along with the three unseeded AO quarter-finalists (Paul, Shelton, Jiri Lehecka), a slew of early upsets was the most recent instance of the unrelenting depth of expertise on the ATP Tour. In reaching the quarters, the Czech Lehecka knocked off eleventh seed Cameron Norrie and sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in consecutive matches. The 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up didn’t have any Grand Slam wins throughout his debuts in any respect 4 majors final season.

The Melbourne second spherical noticed three Prime 10 males exit: Mackenzie McDonald took out high seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal in straight units, Jenson Brooksby eradicated second seed Casper Ruud in 4, and residential favorite Alexei Popyrin edged Taylor Fritz in 5. One spherical later, Korda dismissed returning finalist Daniil Medvedev in three chic units.

5. Murray Fights On, Finds New Gear
On the match the place he introduced his potential retirement in 2019, Murray delivered three classic performances to flash his credentials as a Grand Slam contender. He saved a match level in an exciting five-set win towards thirteenth seed and returning semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini within the opening spherical, then adopted it up with a comeback from two-sets-to-love down towards Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis within the second spherical. 

Whereas he bowed out with a loss to twenty fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, the 35-year-old Briton once more demonstrated his battling qualities by successful a set and pushing the Spaniard to the final ball regardless of his earlier exertions. Throughout his three matches, Murray spent greater than 14 hours on court docket, together with 10 hours and 34 minutes in his two victories.