We will return tomorrow with the most recent updates from day two of the Australian Open. However, it will be difficult to top the exciting match between Djokovic and Prizmic. Congratulations to the 18 year old players, goodbye!
Aryna Sabalenka will face Ella Seidel.
At the Australian Open, spectators are allowed to move around between games. However, during a particular game, Djokovic quickly falls behind on his serve with a 30-0 score. His coach Ivanisevic nervously bites his nails while Djokovic’s fitness trainer, Marco Panichi, shows a typical European shrug. Prizmic has two more opportunities to break Djokovic’s serve. He adjusts his chain under his t-shirt and quietly encourages himself. Djokovic responds with an overhead smash and an ace, ultimately winning the set, but it was a challenging battle.
Djokovic leads Prizmic 6-2, 6-7 (5), and 3-3 with Prizmic serving next. Djokovic has made a total of 36 unforced errors so far in the match, with 14 of them occurring in this set alone. Prizmic faced a 40-15 deficit on his serve, but managed to save one break point with a remarkable shot down the line. He then followed it up with an impressive forehand to reach deuce. However, Djokovic remained determined and Prizmic eventually hit a wide shot, giving Djokovic the break.
Djokovic is currently leading with a score of 6-2, 6-7 (5), and 2-3, with Prizmic as the next server. Despite Djokovic appearing to be struggling, it is likely not relevant as the last time he lost in the first round of a major was in 2006. There have been six deuces on Djokovic’s serve, with Prizmic hitting a strong forehand on the fifth and Djokovic following up with an ace on the sixth. However, Prizmic’s pinpoint return leads to a second break point, which he unfortunately misses. The game continues with a seventh deuce, but Djokovic hits long and then nets, resulting in Prizmic taking the lead. As the crowd cheers, Djokovic angrily sits down and throws his towel on the ground.
Returning to the Rod Laver Arena, I overheard the commentator mention that Prizmic has won 21 out of the 33 rallies in the past nine sets. Currently in the third set, both players have one break each with Prizmic catching up after initially being down 2-0.
Here is a brief summary from other sources:
Maria Sakkari, the eighth seed, was victorious against Japan’s Nao Hibino in a little over an hour, winning 6-4, 6-1. This is a notable improvement for Sakkari, who was eliminated in the first round of the last three grand slams.
Jannick Sinner, seeded fourth, defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in three sets, winning 6-4 7-5 6-3. Sinner is part of the group of players vying for the top spot.
Unfortunately, Matteo Berrettini’s participation in the tournament has come to an end due to a foot injury, resulting in his withdrawal from his first-round match. As a result, seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will now face off against Belgian player Zizou Bergs.
The fifth seed, Andrey Rublev, managed to pull through a rowdy audience and a strong comeback from Thiago Seyboth Wild to win the match in a fifth set tie-break: 7-5 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6 (10-6).
