He has a 27-match unbeaten run, the longest at the place in the 55-year Open era. And now Djokovic needs just one more victory, against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final, to collect what would be a record-extending 10th championship there and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam trophy overall.
It’s all of the other stuff — some of his own doing, some not — that is a lot to handle.
His streak at Melbourne Park was put on pause a year ago when he got deported from Australia because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, and he has waffled between acknowledging that offers extra motivation this time around and also saying, “I’m over it.”
His parents and brother are back at the tournament for the first time in 15 years, but Dad did not attend Friday night’s 7-5, 6-1 6-2 victory over Tommy Paul in the semifinals after drawing attention by being seen two days earlier outside Rod Laver Arena with people showing support for Russia, whose invasion of Ukraine is now nearly a year old. Djokovic isn’t sure whether his father will be present for the final.
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