Novak Djokovic has cruised through to the Australian Open men’s final without having played a single day session match — something that may have never happened before.
The special treatment for the nine-time champion has gone overlooked as he made his run into Sunday night’s showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas having dropped just one set.
The 35-year-old has been a force to be reckoned with at Melbourne Park and is yet to lose a match in 2023.
Djokovic will return to the No. 1 ranking if he is able to triumph against Tsitsipas. He has won their last nine matches.
The Serbian has humbled every so-called “next-gen” opponent he has faced this tournament with Tommy Paul, No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev, Aussie Alex de Minaur and even 31-year-old Grigor Dimitrov all failing to take a set.
Clearly needing every card possible to fall their way in order to challenge the 21-time grand slam champion, Djokovic’s opponents have been playing him at the disadvantage of his preferential treatment.
When Djokovic faced Paul in Friday night’s semi-final, the American had not played a single night session match.
Djokovic’s run of all seven matches being scheduled on Rod Laver Arena in the night session is something the tournament has never done before, according to tennis journalist Catherine Whittaker.
Preferential treatment for the world’s best players has been a prickly, unceasing issue for tennis ever since its move to become a professional sport.
However, Whittaker has told The Tennis Podcast, Djokovic’s run in Melbourne this month has been particularly “extreme”.
With Ash Barty, Nick Kyrgios, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (eliminated in the second round) not there to attract TV audiences in prime time, tournament officials have relied heavily on Djokovic as the highest-profile figure.
Djokovic has done everything he could to entertain the crowd with some spellbinding tennis.
However, there can be no denying the competitive advantage it has given him.
“Top players get preferential treatment in terms of scheduling. Goodness knows,” Whittaker said.
“This is not news. This is not Djokovic specific by any means, but it is a bit extreme.
“I don’t think there’s ever been anybody who played all seven matches at night before (at the Australian Open).”
She went on to say: “Doesn’t there reach a stage of the tournament where sporting integrity steps in?
“Both his last two losses (at the Australian Open) came in day sessions… I still think he’d be in the final if he’d played every match in the day session, I’m just saying it makes a difference. It’s not nothing.”
When asked if Djokovic’s scheduling advantage is fair, English tennis journalist David Law said on the podcast: “Maybe not. That’s just the way it’s always been one way or another.
“I think they have gone out of their way to make him feel comfortable.”
Djokovic in 2018 spoke out in support of Federer when the Swiss champion was accused of being given preferential scheduling advantages.
Frenchman Julien Benneteau at the time caused a stir when he attacked Open officials when Federer was on a run of playing 12 out of 14 matches at night on Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic, the World No. 1 at the time, was being relegated to the day sessions as a result.
“In the end of the day, in a way he deserves the special treatment because he’s six-time champion of Australian Open and arguably the best player ever,” Djokovic said.
“If he doesn’t have it, who is going to have it? People want to see him play on the centre court, and they want to see him play in showtime, the best hours, which is 7:30 at night in Rod Laver Arena.
“I understand Julien’s point because sometimes it does seem that maybe certain players get more favoured year after year in certain tournaments. On the other side, you have to understand that Federer is a driving force of tennis in terms of revenue, in terms of attention.
“Julien and guys like him are also benefiting from tennis, because of Roger, because of what he has done for the sport.”
Djokovic is the strong favourite to win a mindblowing 10th Open crown when he faces Tsitsipas. A win would see him join Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slam victories
But Tsitsipas, who lost to Djokovic in his only previous major final, at the French Open in 2021, will himself top the rankings for the first time if he can pull off an upset.
“Winning Grand Slams and being the number one in the world are probably the two biggest peaks that you can climb as a professional tennis player,” said Djokovic.
The fourth seed, who missed last year’s Australian Open when he was deported over his Covid vaccination stance, believes that his far superior experience at this stage of the tournament gives him a significant edge.
“I think that the experience of being in this particular situation and circumstances before helps,” he said.
“I think also the fact that I never lost the Australian Open final definitely serves as a great confidence-booster prior to Sunday.”
— with AFP
