Australian Open

[stroke]

Ol rope-a-dope looking good out there.

[stotty]

Not sure how he pulled that one off. I left after the first set and am watching the remainder on catch-up. Looking at the stats it looks like Novak was particularly effective behind his 2nd serve and Carlos was particularly ineffective behind his 2nd serve. At 37, Novak really shouldn't be winning that match. I really don't know how he does it.

[stroke]

Well, it is something. He has certainly set a new standard for physicality at age 37, surpassing Roger to me as the best ever at this age. It really looks like he has not lost much at all movement wise.

[jimlosaltos]

Well, it is something. He has certainly set a new standard for physicality at age 37, surpassing Roger to me as the best ever at this age. It really looks like he has not lost much at all movement wise.

With Jannik Sinner apparently ailing from something unknown ( "right hand shaking involuntarily", "leaning over grasping his shorts" ) the path may be clearing.

[stotty]

I watched the match on catch-up. Novak played so well; served well and really beefed up his second serve at critical times, returned outstandingly well in clutch moments, moved well, and was ultra consistent. Carlos, for all his brilliance, gifted too many points to Novak. I wish he would have gone to the net more often. Carlos is a good volleyer and could make more of that part of his game when playing Novak. Carlos could have played better I feel. Great performance from Novak...absolute top drawer stuff in a crucial match. One should expect nothing less I guess.

[neilchok]

I can't believe how good he is. Also I saw the jokes that reporter made in Australia, it seemed to me just a funny thing. Can't believe Novak and Nick got this mad at the reporter for that, it seemed an obvious joke.

[stotty]

I can't believe how good he is. Also I saw the jokes that reporter made in Australia, it seemed to me just a funny thing. Can't believe Novak and Nick got this mad at the reporter for that, it seemed an obvious joke.

My initial thought was the reporter was going to pay for what he said with Novak making him eat his words by winning the tournament. Last thing you want to do is rub Novak up the wrong way because it will just motivate him to win the bloody tournament.

[stroke]

I can't believe how good he is. Also I saw the jokes that reporter made in Australia, it seemed to me just a funny thing. Can't believe Novak and Nick got this mad at the reporter for that, it seemed an obvious joke.

To me Novak is certainly way too quick to feel "disrespect". But he is under the microscope a lot.

[jimlosaltos]

To me Novak is certainly way to quick to feel "disrespect". But he is under the microscope a lot.

I interpret his reaction as semi-deliberate; Djokovic feeds on resentment, motivates himself through anger. If he has a cause, fine, otherwise he'll generate one.
More broadly, that approach is more obvious in comments by his father, Srdjan such as the "West" is out to get Serbs because of Djokovic's covid immigration issues.

But, in this case, Djokovic's feelings about the local media are shared by other players. In this short vid from Ben Shelton's presser he politically and professionally describes how he believes the local, Australian media is disrespectful to players. Video of Ben on Twitter.