Jannik Sinner turned tennis’ latest grand slam champion on the Australian Open whereas Aryna Sabalenka efficiently defended her title.
The 12 months’s first grand slam introduced loads of lengthy matches and late nights and set the tone for an intriguing season to come back.
Right here, the PA information company picks out 5 issues we realized at Melbourne Park.
Altering of the guard
The shifting sands of the game have moved extraordinarily slowly over the past decade, however there is no such thing as a doubt change is right here – and extra is on the best way. Nobody will likely be writing off Novak Djokovic after one off-colour event – he nonetheless reached the semi-finals regardless of being nowhere close to his finest – however energy is shifting in the direction of the youngest technology, led by Carlos Alcaraz and now Sinner. Rafael Nadal’s comeback provides additional intrigue heading in the direction of the French Open.
Sabalenka setting the usual
Iga Swiatek stays world primary however not by a lot and, based mostly on the final 5 slams, Sabalenka can lay declare to be the very best throughout all surfaces. Whereas Swiatek will likely be favoured to comb all earlier than her on clay once more, she has work to do to show she could be a constant power on onerous courts and grass. Sabalenka was superior in Melbourne, by no means dropping a set and sustaining a way of emotional calm that the remainder of the locker room would have noticed with some trepidation.
New Norrie
Cameron Norrie has been Britain’s Mr Reliable over the past three years, utilizing his bodily and psychological prowess to battle his means into the highest 10. However in Melbourne the 28-year-old confirmed an entire new attacking aspect to his recreation that was a pleasure to look at. Norrie pulled off the very best slam victory of his profession over Casper Ruud within the third spherical and pushed Alexander Zverev all the best way to a deciding tie-break earlier than bowing out. If he continues on the identical path, he can put himself proper within the combine on the greatest tournaments.
Raducanu again on monitor
Emma Raducanu could solely have made the second spherical of her comeback slam earlier than a good loss to Wang Yafan however the indicators had been very encouraging. The 21-year-old performed with conviction, appeared good bodily barring an unlucky abdomen bug and, most encouragingly, appeared joyful and excited to be again on tour. It’ll take Raducanu time to search out her degree however there are many causes to be optimistic, particularly if she sticks with new coach Nick Cavaday for a sustained interval.
Late night time habit
Match director Craig Tiley’s declare that extending the occasion to fifteen days would by some means repair the issue of matches going late into the night time was all the time farcical, and so it proved. Even solely having two matches within the day session didn’t assure the night time session started on time, and Daniil Medvedev’s second-round conflict with Emil Ruusuvuori didn’t end till 3.39am. Till tennis accepts that matches have gotten ever longer and schedules accordingly, nothing will change.
