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Djokovic beats Tsitsipas in Melbourne to equal Nadal record

Melbourne, Australia, Jan 29 (EFE).- Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets on Sunday to win a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal’s all-time record of 22 men’s singles Grand Slam titles.

The 4th-seeded Serb’s victory never really looked in doubt, as he dominated the first set (6-3) before holding his nerve during two tie-breaks to take the second and third sets against the third-seeded Greek.

The win sees Djokovic return to number one in the world rankings, while Tsitsipas’ wait for a major title continues.

The Greek lost to Djokovic in the 2021 French Open final after squandering a two-set lead, but he never looked likely to prevail on Sunday.

Djokovic’s 28th consecutive win in Melbourne – a run stretching back to 2018 – means he has retaken the title that he could not defend last year after he was deported from Australia because of his coronavirus vaccination status.

In the post-match trophy ceremony, Tsitsipas praised Djokovic for “pushing our sport so far.”

“Novak, I don’t know what to say. It speaks for itself what you have achieved so far. It’s all in the numbers,” he said.

Djokovic, for his part, thanked his opponent “for being so kind and respectful.”

“I congratulate you on an amazing tournament. Tough luck tonight. This will not be your last Grand Slam final, you have a lot of time,” he said.

“This is the biggest victory of my life,” Djokovic said. EFE

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