One of the great candidates to win the first Grand Slam of the year is undoubtedly the Serbian racket, and yesterday he showed that he reaches 100% of his physical shape by sending a message to number 2 in the ATP Ranking
Less than a week before the start of the 2023 Australian Open, the Serbian Novak Djokovic sent a message (figuratively) to Rafael Nadal to show your favoritism. The Spaniard has been the champion of the Adelaide 2023 I Tournament that was played on Australian soil, and serves as a prelude to the first Grand Slam of the season.
Novak Djokovic He has been champion of his first Adelaide Tournament and has reached his 92nd ATP title, equaling Rafael Nadal. However, that is not the only warning that the Belgrade native has given the Balearic Islands. With this new championship prior to the Australian Open 2023the Balkan empowers his candidacy to win the first Grand Slam of the year.
Novak Djokovic and his 92nd title before facing Nadal at the Australian Open
Since January 2, the 2023 Adelaide Tournament has been played, played in the city of the same name and by the tennis players who did not participate in the United Cup. Novak Djokovic was one of the seeded players and in his first match he faced the French Constant Lestienne. In his debut he won 6-3 and 6-2. Arriving in the round of 16, he faced fellow Frenchman Quentin Halys where he emerged victorious 7-6, 7-6.
In the quarterfinals he beat the current number 21 in the ATP Ranking, Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4. Already in the semifinals he met again with the Russian Daniil Medvedev, who still holds the 4th ranking. The match ended with a 6-3 and 6-4 in favor of the Serb. He finally reached the decisive stages against the American Sebastian Korda, who went ahead with a 6-7, but would later be 7-6 and 6-4.
Djokovic equals Nadal in ATP titles
With the title of the Adelaide I 2023 Tournament, the Serbian racket equaled the number of ATP titles to the Mallorcan Rafa Nadal. Both hold 92 championships between Grand Slam, Olympic Games, ATP Tour Finals, ATP Masters 1000, ATP Tour 500, etc. Both the Balkan and the Spaniard are close to equaling Ivan Lendl with 94, Roger Federer with 103, and Jimmy Connor with 109 titles.
Although the current Australian Open champion is Rafa Nadal, he has only won twice (2009 and 2022) while Novak Djokovic is the top winner with 9 titles (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021). It will undoubtedly be a tournament in which both are destined to see each other in the final.