"From a different planet": Praise pours in for Novak Djokovic's historic Australian Open win
The 22-time Grand Slam champion might have equalled an Open Era record with the victory—but it was his new "22" jacket that stole the show in Melbourne.
WATCH: Game, set and match as Novak Djokovic defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2023 Australian Open final
From the moment that Novak Djokovic sealed his 22nd Grand Slam title with a straight sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, it was clear that this Australian Open victory was different.
After his the Greek's forehand sailed long, Djokovic pointed to his head, heart and groin in celebration, but he couldn’t contain the tears for long as the emotions eventually overwhelmed him.
"I just have to say this: Only the team and family knows what we've been through in the last four or five weeks,” Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony.
“This probably, I would say, is the biggest victory in my life, considering the circumstances."
That much was clear to everyone watching at home on social media too. As the 35-year-old added another incredible achievement to his already stellar resume, praise was already pouring in for Djokovic his fellow players and peers on tour:
A few tennis legends and retired greats, including Rod Laver, Billie Jean King and Juan Martin del Potro, also chimed in:
While Djokovic’s familiar on-court dominance in Melbourne was the talk of the fortnight—despite struggling with a hamstring injury, he only dropped one set en route to the title—it was his post-match ensemble that got people talking on social media.
After throwing on his custom Hublot's Big Bang Meca-10 watch for the trophy ceremony, Djokovic also donned a new Lacoste jacket with one eye-catching detail:
Of course, it didn't escape the notice of his fellow players—especially Daria Saville and Nick Kyrgios, who sounded delighted by the new look:
For Djokovic, and his fans, the contrast between his 2022 and 2023 trips to Australia couldn’t have been more different. Back then, the Serbian player was detained upon arrival and eventually deported after not meeting the country’s strict COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
A year later, with a historic victory in hand and with Djokovic poised to return to the top of the ATP rankings, that chapter now seems to be finally closed for good: