A year that began with the humiliation of being deported from Australia, Novak Djokovic feels his extended but self-inflicted absences in 2022 have made him more more “super-pumped and driven” to conclude the year on a strong note.
A week after winning the Tel Aviv trophy, the 35-year-old stormed to back-to-back victories as he easily overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 in the Astana final on Sunday.
“A better season opener is beyond anything I could have hoped for. I’m fired up and eager to finish the season as strong as I have the last few weeks “said the previous world champion.
Following triumphs in Rome and Wimbledon, Djokovic has already won four championships from only ten competitions this season.
His victory at Wimbledon in July, which tied Pete Sampras’ record of seven victories at the All England Club, brought him to 21 Grand Slams. His victory in the Italian capital in May earned him his 38th Masters title.
Only Rafael Nadal has won more men’s majors, with 22.
All of this occurred in the same year that he was expelled from Melbourne and prohibited from entering North America due to his persistent reluctance to get shots.
Djokovic didn’t play for the better part of three months following Wimbledon, with the exception of the Laver Cup in London, which served as Roger Federer’s farewell match.
After not playing there for 16 years, he “restarted” in Israel.
Djokovic missed two of the year’s four Slam events—the Australian and US Opens—as well as four of the eight Masters tournaments—in Indian Wells, Miami, Montreal, and Cincinnati—due to his steadfast refusal to budge on his vaccine position.
But with his victory in Kazakhstan on Sunday, he was able to qualify for the ATP Finals for the 15th time; only Federer (18), Jimmy Connors (16), and Rafael Nadal (16) have qualified for the season-ending showcase more often.
The Serb, who won the competition in 2008 and each year from 2012 to 2015, will try to catch Federer as a six-time winner when it takes place in Turin in November.
Djokovic, the only person to have won all of the Masters tournaments twice, will defend his title in the Paris Masters before that.
Djokovic remarked on Sunday, “I’m simply really thankful and privileged to be able to play this well at this point of my life. 35 is not 25, as you may know.
Djokovic will be hoping that despite the revocation of his visa in January, which resulted in a three-year ban from returning, he will be allowed to go to Melbourne and win a 10th Australian Open when his rollercoaster year comes to a close.
The indications are positive.
The head of Tennis Australia, Craig Tiley, told The Australian newspaper last week that “we are on the right route to win back all the top players.”
“Nine months ago, we were in a different era, and I believe that the situation has entirely altered since then. Since people may now travel freely across the globe once again, we anticipate having the top players in town in January.”