The Grand Slam season began on January 8 at the Australian Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments that features the best players in the world competing for the singles and doubles titles.
The tournament came to end today and offered spectacular matches, whose winners were rewarded with a total of AUD $76.5 million, about €49,986,307 in prize money. New records were set, including in the today’s final game as Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, equaling Rafael’s Nadal Grand Slam all-time record of 22 men’s major singles titles. Besides, the Serbian also became the first man to win 10 Australian Open titles, and the second man to win 10 titles at a single major, after Nadal at the French Open.
Djokovic’s victory means he returns to “No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for what will be a record-extending 374th week atop the men’s tennis mountain,” according to ATPtour. It also means he secured AUD $2,975,000, about 1,956,700€ in prize money. “This is probably, I would say, the biggest victory of my life, considering the circumstances,” the winner said, adding: “I have to say that this is one of the most challenging tournaments I’ve ever played in my life, not playing last year, coming back this year. And I want to thank all the people that made me feel comfortable, made me feel welcome, to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia.”
The women’s final was won for the first time by an athlete competing under a neutral flag, as Russian and Belarusian players are only allowed to participate at ATP events under a white flag since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year. The Belarusian player, Aryna Sabalenka won the epic final match against the Russian-born Elena Rybakina, who competed for Kazakhstan. “I think everyone still knows that I’m Belarusian player. That’s it,” Sabalenka said after the win.
Source: ausopen.com
