Murray, Radu and another Man of Steel: 5 thoughts on the Australian Open 2023
The Australian Open 2023 is over. A tournament for eternity? Yeah, that's how it works. But a few stories stick. For example...
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jan 30, 2023, 09:14 am
Andy Murray, Man of Steel
Andy Murray had been clammy and secretly dismissed from the "Big 4" circle, and in the end only talked about the "Big 3". But Murray showed again this year that he is one of the greats. The 5-set battles against Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis were two of the big highlights of the tournament, especially the last match in which the man with the steel waist made up a 0-2 sets deficit and one of the most spectacular points of the entire tournament won.
Then an emotional and open confession: "I'm aware that I don't look very happy most of the time when I'm playing. But that's exactly when I'm happiest inside. (...) I've always loved the competition , put my heart out and showed my emotions. I've been criticized for that a lot, but that's who I am."
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina do it with karacho
The women's final on Saturday - it was great publicity for tennis in general . What Sabalenka and Rybakina put on the pitch in terms of speed was sometimes unbelievable. Especially because in the end the winners were clearly in the majority. Both would have deserved the title - Rybakina, the so relaxed Wimbledon winner, who easily replied to the unworthy positions on remote outdoor courts at the beginning of the tournament that she would have to keep winning, then she would play on the larger courts. And Sabalenka, who was still struggling with the Yips last year and has finally arrived on the really big stage.
What would be nice: a permanent rivalry between the two. Which cannot be ruled out.
Ashleigh Barty: She's missing
Keyword high-speed tennis: You have to name a lot of ladies there, above all the world number one Iga Swiatek. One of the bigger questions of the season could be if she can repeat her strong 2022.
But Sabalenka and Rybakina or Swiatek: how wonderful it would be if last year's winner (and number 1 at the time) Ashleigh Barty were still active! It would be just too nice to experience how she would counter the primal violence of Sabalenka, Rybakina or Swiatek with her variable play. Yes, wishful thinking, unfortunately.
More Radu, please!
Do you remember Alex Radulescu? The good one is considered a prime example of fair play. "Radu" had surprisingly reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 1996 and had chances for even more. At 4: 4 in the fifth set, opponent MaliVai Washington then smashed the ball onto the line. Circles flew up, but the linesman decided: Out! But Radulescu stepped in on behalf of his opponent, who ended up winning and progressing to the final. "Radu" later explained that he would have had a guilty conscience if he hadn't corrected the ball to his detriment.
Not too many actors have a guilty conscience these days. In a doubles match, Alison Riske met her opponent Alexandra Panova and immediately apologized (strongly!); the referee, however, had not recognized the body hit as such and rated Riske's apology as a disturbance. A referee error, of course; annoying but happens. There was no stopping Riske afterwards, and yes, she was right... But shouldn't one rather ask why Ms. Panova didn't step in and say: Hey, Alison hit me, point for her..?
Oh Radu, why aren't there more of your kind.
Novak Djokovic: Man of Steel Part 2
How much can this guy take? After the grueling Australian Open 2022, Novak Djokovic was actually wished to finally play a normal tournament. Of course it turned out differently. Thigh injury, Papa Srdjan and the Putin supporters ... How Djokovic put everything away again was all the more impressive. After his victory, he showed that he is only human after all, when all the tension erupted in many tears. Emotional scenes and great words - and one thing is also clear: Djokovic's record journey is far from over.
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