The 2023 Australian Open’s Top Five Most Impressive Performers
The 2023 Australian Open was a thrilling way to start the grand slam season. With many players coming from outstanding ends to the 2022 season and others hoping to make their mark after lengthy absences, there was a lot on the line.
The men’s and women’s tournaments were played at a very high level from beginning to end. The tennis was entertaining, the crowds were excited and countless online sports bets were placed on the various matchups.
Novak Djokovic emerged as the victor on the men’s side, while Aryna Sabalenka won on the women’s side. While both players were impressive, they were not the only ones who positively surprised tennis fans and experts.
Below is our rundown of the top five most surprising performers at the Australian Open in 2023.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic winning the Australian Open was not a surprise, given no man has won the tournament more times. Still, he surprised fans and pundits by overcoming his injury issues during the tournament.
From the eve of the 2023 Australian Open, Djokovic had concerns. He suffered a hamstring injury in a warm-up event, missing various training sessions and nursing his leg as a result. Despite having to take it easy in his first few matches, Djokovic comfortably came through into the latter stages of the tournament.
While he was tested at times, he also had the benefit of a relatively easy draw. Andrey Rublev and Stefano Tsitsipas were his two toughest matchups, but he won both contests with ease. Ultimately, Djokovic showed that he was the king of the AO, even if he could not run at full pelt for the whole tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka
Many fans were wondering if Aryna Sabalenka would ever overcome her serve issues and win a major grand slam event in 2023. She struggled for much of 2022 with her serve, as she was unable to find any consistency in that part of her game.
Sabalenka did have tight contests in the semi-finals in 2022, almost beating Iga Swiatek to reach the final. However, she was denied by the Polish star, who went on to win that tournament. In this year’s Australian Open, she was a different player.
While she did have some scares throughout the event, Sabalenka always seemed to be in control of her destiny. When it mattered, she hit great shots and did the job.
She put on a clinic in the final against Elena Rybakina, beating the Wimbledon champion in three sets and claiming the Australian Open title.
Elena Rybakina
The Kazakh tennis star Elena Rybakina also had an excellent tournament in Australia. She was outstanding for much of the event, even beating world number one Iga Swiatek along the way. Rybakina did not go home with the trophy, but she can be proud of the runner-up position where she finished.
The only issue for Rybakina in the 2023 Australian Open was against the Russian superstar Sabalenka. She could not show consistency in her shot-making when she needed it the most.
Despite taking the lead in the final, being one set up, she was pegged back by Sabalenka and eventually beaten in the third set. Rybakina showed that her Wimbledon title in 2022 was not a one-off and that she will be at the top of tennis for years to come.
Stefano Tsitsipas
The finalist on the men’s side of the draw could not win a set in the final against Novak Djokovic. Tsitsipas gave it everything in the contest and even had the Greek fans backing him in the final on Rod Laver Arena, but he was no match for Novak.
What Tsitsipas can take from this tournament is that he has rediscovered his consistency. After losing the French Open final a few years ago to Djokovic in five sets, he looked like a shell of himself for a long time. Now he has overcome that disappointment and is back to being a contender for grand slams.
Tsitsipas was an outside favorite with online sports betting sites for the Australian Open initially, as no one expected him to reach the final. He will, however, see his odds for upcoming tournaments significantly shortened, as bettors will have been impressed by his showing in Melbourne. He did not win the 2023 AO title, but Tsitsipas will fancy his chances at the French Open.
Rafael Nadal
There can be no discussion of surprises at the 2023 Australian Open without mentioning Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard was at a low ebb in this tournament, coming in with very little game time or success on the court. Having won two grand slams last year, he appears to be in a much tougher position in his career.
An abdomen injury still troubling him appears to have been accompanied by a hip injury. He could not move properly at the end of his second-round match against Mackenzie McDonald, losing the game in straight sets.
Nadal did not even put up much of a fight in the contest, as he was broken in every set and did not have an answer for McDonald, even before his injury.
Knowing a little more about key players can help with your online sports betting choices.