Sports
Novak Djokovic claims 10th Australian Open title, 22nd Slam
MELBOURNE, Australia – Novak Djokovic climbed up into the stands at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday to celebrate winning his 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title. He then fell on his back and started crying.
Djokovic sat on his sideline bench, buried his face in a white towel, and sobbed when he returned to the playing surface.
This trip to Australia was far more successful than the one a year ago when he was deported because he had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, though it was difficult in its way: a hamstring injury, some off-court quarrels with his father. Nonetheless, Djokovic accomplished everything he could have hoped for in his comeback: he resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and returned to the top of the tennis world, declaring: “This probably is the biggest victory of my life.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas gave Djokovic a short run for his money in the final, but Djokovic beat him 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6. (5). As a bonus, Djokovic will rise from No. 5 to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, a position he has already held for more weeks than any other player.
“Considering the circumstances, this has been one of the most difficult tournaments I’ve ever played. “I didn’t play last year; I’m back this year,” Djokovic said, wearing a white zip-up jacket with a “22” on the chest. “I also want to thank everyone who made me feel welcome and comfortable in Melbourne and Australia.”
The 35-year-Old Serb Won His 28th Straight Match In Australian Open.
The 35-year-old Serb won his 28th straight match in Melbourne, making it the longest unbeaten streak in Australian Open history (since 1968). He now has ten trophies, including seven from Wimbledon, three from the US Open (where he was also absent last year due to a lack of coronavirus shots), and two from the French Open, matching rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man.
Only two women are ahead of him: Margaret Court (24) and Serena Williams (23).
This was also Djokovic’s 93rd ATP tour-level title, breaking a tie with Nadal for fourth-most.
“I’d like to thank you for advancing our sport so far,” Tsitsipas said to Djokovic.
“He is the greatest that has ever held a tennis racket,” Tsitsipas said.
Djokovic was competing in his 33rd major final, while Tsitsipas was competing in his second — and the 24-year-old Greek also lost the other, at the 2021 French Open, to Djokovic.
Djokovic was superior throughout, especially in the two tiebreakers, on a cool evening under a cloudy sky, with a soundtrack of chants from both men’s supporters prompting repeated pleas for quiet from the chair umpire.
He took a 4-1 lead in the first quarter and scored the final three points. He led 5-0 in the final tiebreaker, and when it was over, he screamed and pointed to his temple, a precursor to all of the tears.
An Emotional Week For All In Attendance
“It was very emotional for us. “It was very emotional for him,” Djokovic’s coach, Goran Ivanisevic, said. “It’s a fantastic accomplishment. He had a very difficult three weeks. He was able to triumph over all odds.”
Djokovic admitted that all of the issues were stressful for him.
“It took enormous mental and emotional energy to keep it tight, keep my focus,” Djokovic said.
Keep in mind that, aside from a rash of early miscues that resulted in more tension than anything else, Tsitsipas didn’t play all that poorly. It’s because Djokovic was too rigid. Because he was too careful with his shots, he only made 22 unintentional mistakes, which was 20 less than his opponent. On the run, you need to be more quick and adaptable (other than when, moving to his left, Djokovic took a tumble).
“I tried everything,” said Tsitsipas, who would have moved to No. 1 with a win, replacing Carlos Alcaraz, who missed the Australian Open due to a leg injury.
Perhaps. Djokovic, on the other hand, keeps pushing until his opponent misses or gives him a chance to take advantage.
The Come-Back Kid
That happened when Tsitsipas saved his first break point, also a set point, with Djokovic serving at 30-40 in the second set. Could this be a fulcrum? Could Djokovic give in? Could Tsitsipas make a comeback?
Djokovic finished a 15-stroke point with a cross-court forehand winner that felt like a statement. Tsitsipas then missed two shots: a backhand long and a forehand wide. Those felt like surrender. Even when Tsitsipas broke in the third, Djokovic broke right back.
Over the last two weeks, Djokovic has been thinking about more than just forehands and backhands.
There was also the not-insignificant matter of last year’s legal saga — he has alternately acknowledged the whole thing served as a form of motivation but also said the other day, “I’m over it” — and apprehension about the kind of reception he would receive if he were allowed to enter Australia because pandemic restrictions had been relaxed.
Constant Heckling At The Australian Open
He got a lot of loud support, but he also had to deal with constant heckling, like when people cheered after he made mistakes on Sunday.
There was the sore left hamstring, which had been heavily bandaged for every match — until the final, when only a piece of beige athletic tape could be seen.
After Djokovic’s quarterfinal, his father, Srdjan, was filmed with a group waving Russian flags, one with an image of Vladimir Putin on it. The tournament prohibited spectators from carrying Russian or Belarussian flags, claiming they would disrupt due to Ukraine’s ongoing invasion. According to Djokovic and his father, Srdjan thought he was with Serbian fans.
Srdjan Djokovic, however, did not attend his son’s semifinal or final.
“We both agreed,” said the younger Djokovic, who did meet up with his father for a hug after the match on Sunday, “that it would probably be better if he weren’t there.”
Regardless, Djokovic performed admirably, as he frequently does.
“It’s been a long journey, but it’s been a very special one,” he said.
SOURCE – (AP)
Miami Gardens, Florida – The Miami Dolphins have agreed to sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year contract, a source informed The Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been formalized.
The NFL Network initially reported on the pact, estimated to be valued at up to $8.25 million.
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Miami Dolphins Agree To Sign Odell Beckham Jr. To A 1-Year Contract
Beckham, 31, will be joining his sixth franchise, having previously played for the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore, Cleveland, and the New York Giants, who drafted him 12th overall in 2014. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021-22.
Beckham will join Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins’ receiving yards leader last year, and Jaylen Waddle, his fast opponent. Hill and Waddle combined for more yards (2,813) than any other wide receiver tandem in the NFL in 2023, but Miami lacked depth at wide receiver beyond those two.
The Ravens released Beckham in March after he had 35 catches for 565 yards and three scores with Baltimore last season. He visited the Dolphins earlier in the offseason and received an offer, but the two parties have yet to reach a deal.
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Miami Dolphins Agree To Sign Odell Beckham Jr. To A 1-Year Contract
“Things went great with him,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated in March. We made him an offer, and business takes time, especially with someone like Odell, who has had a fantastic career and still has a lot of football and choices ahead of him. I’m completely ready to teach him if we can reach a deal, and I believe both sides are working toward that goal. “We will see what happens.
Beckham established himself as one of the league’s top receivers throughout his first three seasons with the Giants. He had three consecutive 1,300-yard seasons after being drafted by New York out of LSU, and he grabbed one of the most memorable touchdowns in NFL history in his rookie season when he extended his body, leaping backward and reaching as far as he could with one hand to pull in a 43-yard pass from Eli Manning.
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Miami Dolphins Agree To Sign Odell Beckham Jr. To A 1-Year Contract
Beckham was traded to the Browns in 2019 and played two seasons there before joining the Rams. He caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl LVI before suffering an ACL injury that sidelined him for the 2022 season.
SOURCE – (AP)
Sports
Brittney Griner Says She Thought About Killing Herself During First Few Weeks In Russian Jail
Phoenix — Brittney Griner, a WNBA star, says she considered suicide during her first several weeks in a Russian jail following her 2022 drug-related arrest.
Griner spoke for the first time about her months-long captivity in Russia during an hour-long interview broadcast on ABC Wednesday night. Her memoir, “Coming Home,” is scheduled to be released on May 7.
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Brittney Griner Says She Thought About Killing Herself During First Few Weeks In Russian Jail
Griner was seized after arriving at a Moscow airport when Russian investigators claimed a search of her luggage found vape cartridges purportedly containing cannabis oil.
“I wanted to take my life more than once in the first few weeks,” Griner told interviewer Robin Roberts. “I felt like leaving here so badly.”
Her plight began at the same time Russia invaded Ukraine, escalating tensions between Russia and the United States, and ended only after she was released in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
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Brittney Griner Says She Thought About Killing Herself During First Few Weeks In Russian Jail
Griner stated that she was ordered to compose a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin before being released.
“They had me write this letter. “It was in Russian,” she explained. “I had to ask for pardon and gratitude from their so-called great leader. “I didn’t want to do it, but I also wanted to get home.”
She was dismayed when she boarded the plane for the transaction and found that Paul Whelan, another American held in Russia, was not with her.
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Brittney Griner Says She Thought About Killing Herself During First Few Weeks In Russian Jail
“I continued on and didn’t see him; perhaps he’s next. “Maybe they’ll bring him next,” she added. “They shut the door, and I was like, Are you serious? “You are not going to let this man come home right now.”
Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury. The WNBA season starts on May 14.
SOURCE – (AP)
Milton Keynes, England – Red Bull announced Wednesday that Adrian Newey, the designer who played a key role in Red Bull’s Formula One supremacy, will retire early next year.
The 65-year-old Newey will retire from his nearly two-decade career at Red Bull in the “first quarter of 2025.”
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Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, Will Step Down From The Formula One Team.
“For almost two decades it has been my great honor to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team,” stated the former Ferrari driver. “However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.”
Adrian joined Red Bull in 2006 and has helped the team win seven driver’s titles, including the last three seasons for defending champion Max Verstappen and six constructors’ crowns.
Red Bull announced that its chief technical officer will step away from F1 design to focus on the company’s first hypercar, the RB 17.
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Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, Will Step Down From The Formula One Team.
“All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stated. “When Adrian joined Red Bull, I knew he was already a famous designer. Two decades and 13 championships later, he is remembered as a true legend. He is also my friend, and I shall be eternally grateful to him for everything he contributed to our collaboration.”
The news of Newey’s leaving could result in a bidding war for his services. Because Newey is free to join another team after leaving Red Bull, he has the potential to have an impact on the 2026 vehicle for whichever team he chooses. The next major regulatory reform is scheduled for 2026, and having Newey on board would provide a huge edge to his future employers.
Planetf1 – VOR News Image
Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, Will Step Down From The Formula One Team.
Newey’s dismissal comes after Horner was accused of “inappropriate behavior” by a female coworker. Red Bull’s parent company GmbH exonerated Horner and has consistently refuted the allegations.
SOURCE – (AP)
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