The Serbian champion bested his own record, claiming his ninth Grand Slam title from Australia
Though the sports world has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021’s first Grand Slam has been played! And just to prove that some things haven’t changed, Novak Djokovic went out and won his ninth Australian Open. He is now nearing the Grand Slam record, as his victory means that his 18 Slams rival the 20 held by both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Though two Grand Slams would be career defining and are hardly predictable for the majority of the players currently on the tour, Djokovic has a very good shot of reaching that — potentially in 2021. As a premier hardcourt player, the 2021 U.S. Open will likely see Djokovic as the favourite for the tournament. Before that, Wimbledon could also be his, as he has won the last two Wimbledon’s back to back (2018 and 2019). Nadal and Federer are clearly further in their careers, despite their ages not being too far off from each other, so the legendary Djokovic should have some time to rack up wins and chase after similar lofty career accolades.
Canadian players from across the country made the tournament but were unable to reach the quarter-finals. Felix Auger-Aliassime was close to reaching that mark but lost to Russia’s Aslan Karatsev who then, to the complete shock of the tournament, went on a run to the semifinals in his first-ever Grand Slam, which is a record in the Open era. The team will have to wait for the next Grand Slam or Masters 1000 tournament to try their luck at a major title for Canada, but the squad is still looking good. Grand Slam champion Bianca Andreescu is still attempting to return to her former level of play after injuries that have hindered her. Denis Shapovalov is currently ranked in the top 15 but has yet to have the career-defining win that could propel him to championship contention.
This year might have COVID-19 to deal with, but it seems that tennis has been able to safely adapt with few concerns. Stay tuned for the next Grand Slam, as the focus shifts to the French Open that begins the summer Slams.
