In her newest Sky Sports activities column, Gigi Salmon discusses Madison Keys’ unimaginable run to Grand Slam glory, Jannik Sinner’s vice-like grip on males’s tennis and what could possibly be subsequent for Novak Djokovic after his work with Andy Murray on the Australian Open…
An eight hour flight delay on the finish of a Grand Slam is not excellent, nevertheless it provides me an opportunity to take a seat down and assume again on the 2 weeks that we now have had at Melbourne Park. By way of leaving Australia we now have timed it effectively, with the temperature hitting 42 levels as I left for the airport.
It is very straightforward to know the place to begin and that is with new Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who’s a participant many people have been waiting for years questioning if she would fulfil her potential.
“I felt like from a pretty young age, if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been,” Keys mentioned after her victory. “That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around.”
At 29, newly married and with husband and coach Bjorn Fratangelo in her nook, she not solely did it however she did it in fashion!
Bruising run to Grand Slam glory for Keys
Madison Keys celebrates with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup
To turn into a Grand Slam Champion it’s important to win seven matches, you’ll come throughout obstacles alongside the best way, nevertheless it’s exhausting to think about a harder attract latest instances than the one Key confronted.
It included former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins within the third spherical adopted by former Wimbledon Champion Elena Rybakina, then it was Elina Svitolina earlier than following these bruising encounters by taking out the world No 2 and world No 1 in successive rounds.
A spotlight of the second week was Key’s semi-final conflict with Iga Swiatek, the place she closed it out in a match tie-break within the third. Curiously, from talking to numerous folks, they had been cut up with what they fabricated from the ultimate when it comes to high quality of tennis.
For me personally, whereas I do not assume that by the top of the yr will probably be in my prime 5 WTA matches of the yr (the semi-final will), if I put collectively a ‘what it means’ or ‘how they closed it out’ prime 5 then I am undecided will probably be overwhelmed!
Keys additionally spoke afterwards very actually about her journey to changing into a Grand Slam champion, which has been filled with accidents and expectation, the place she credited remedy with getting her to the place she is now.
“Just being really honest and actually getting help and actually talking to someone, and not just about tennis but about how I felt about myself,” Keys defined. “I honestly think that had I not done that, then I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
Folks have additionally been fairly vocal about Sabalenka’s response to shedding which noticed her smashing her racket on the bottom, whereas Keys was taking within the applause of the group.
Now, whereas – in a perfect world – Sabalenka would not have performed that, none of us can put ourselves in her place. The emotion, the adrenalin – that is what she lives and breathes each single day, so I believe we will let her off this as soon as!
Sabalenka misplaced her cool after shedding the Australian Open remaining to Keys
So my tip for the ladies’s title fell on the remaining hurdle, however my tip for the lads’s sprinted to the end and barely broke sweat within the remaining!
Sinner performed with ‘clear thoughts’ forward of CAS listening to
Jannik Sinner celebrates with the Norman Brookes Problem Cup
Jannik Sinner did not face a single break level as he accomplished the profitable defence of his title in a straight units win over Alexander Zverev, who mentioned after he collected his runner-up plate: “I’m just not good enough.”
Sinner has now gained 37 of his final 38 matches, having dropped simply two units by means of seven rounds, leaving him in a snug place on the prime of the world rankings with a complete of 11830 factors – 3,695 away from second positioned Zverev.
It is a good lead for now nevertheless it’s one he might have, with the date set for WADAs (World Anti-Doping Company) enchantment towards the choice to not ban Sinner for his failed drug checks in March. That will likely be heard at CAS (Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport) on April 16-17, behind closed doorways.
The Italian world No 1 could possibly be dealing with a prolonged ban
Sinner has mentioned that he has been in a position to play in addition to he has attributable to a ‘clear thoughts’ in regards to the occasions that led to the failed take a look at. With the enchantment listening to happening round a month earlier than the French Open, a ban may rule him out of each the French and Wimbledon and that is if it is on the brief aspect!
What subsequent for Djokovic and Murray?
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A have a look at each Masters remaining on the ATP Tour between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic
There was no threepeat for Sabalenka as I assumed there could be and we’re nonetheless ready to see if the Novak Djokovic-Andy Murray partnership will proceed, following Djokovic falling brief in his bid for a record-extending twenty fifth Grand Slam victory.
“Novak and I agreed that after the tournament we would speak – and we will do that,” Djokovic mentioned after his exit.
The sensation round Djokovic is that Wimbledon will likely be his subsequent finest probability to win Grand Slam title quantity 25, offering his physique heals by then.
If you wish to see the injury that was performed in his quarter-final towards Carlos Alcaraz, check out social media. You can find his scan and he felt the necessity to add it, with so many individuals doubting the severity of his harm or if he was injured in any respect!
He’s all the way down to play in Doha subsequent month, which you’ll watch dwell on Sky Sports activities Tennis, though that appears a bit quickly.
One factor is for sure is that if he’s to win one other title – at no matter degree – he might want to play matches, nevertheless it’s discovering that steadiness between enjoying matches and listening to your physique.
Djokovic could possibly be again in motion on Sky Sports activities Tennis
We have seen a few high-profile teaching adjustments in latest weeks, with Elena Rybakina splitting with Goran Ivanisevic. That is one thing that appeared inevitable as quickly as Rybakina posted on Instagram saying that she was welcoming again her former coach Stefano Vukov to the workforce.
‘Three’s a crowd’ springs to thoughts, in what’s a messy scenario, and will probably be attention-grabbing to see if Ivanisevic stays on the WTA tour.
There can even be a brand new coach for Emma Raducanu, after Nick Cavaday stepped again to prioritise his well being.
British success in Melbourne
There was British success on the Australian Open for Henry Patten and his companion Harri Heliovaara, profitable their second Grand Slam doubles title. Whereas Henry promised Tim Henman, Laura Robson and I he would work on his celebrations after they win, I can affirm that Harri continues to be the stand out within the division.
Andy Lapthorne gained an eighth quad wheelchair males’s doubles title, whereas Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett continued their domination within the males’s wheelchair doubles occasion with their sixth successive title.
Tears flowed for Alfie after he secured a straight units win over prime seed and his on courtroom nemesis, 18-year-old Tokito Oda, who gained Paralympic gold over the Brit final summer time and has gained their final three main finals.
“To try and beat this guy in a final is an impossible task it seems, so I am very happy and overwhelmed with emotion to get my hands on this trophy,” Hewett mentioned.
In order that’s now 10 Grand Slam singles titles to go along with his Paralympic silver, 22 doubles titles along with Paralympic gold and on the age of 27, nonetheless lots extra tennis to be performed!
Some excellent news is that I wasn’t fired as Daniela Hantuchova’s coach, and whereas almost falling into the river Yarra on one in all my morning runs whereas nonetheless jet lagged and with out my contact lenses in I managed to remain on dry land!
There’s a lot to speak about in the case of tennis in the meanwhile, however I’ll cease earlier than I am going on for too lengthy!
I will likely be seeing Tim and Laura later this week which I am actually trying ahead to. That is when Sky Sports activities Tennis actually comes into it is personal, following the tour from occasion to occasion and showcasing the gamers and the tales as they give the impression of being to construct on what occurred in Australia.
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