31st January 2016 – the day is etched in the golden pages of tennis history. Novak Djokovic, after defeating Andy Murray in straight sets, clinched the Australian Open for the 6th time on this very date.
Today, as the earth almost completes one revolution from that day, the scenario is not quite the same. Denis Istomin has beaten the world champion in the Round 2 of this year’s Australian Open in 5 tight sets to throw the tennis fraternity in a tumultuous frenzy. He won 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in a gruelling four-hour 48-minute long encounter.
Not only did no one anticipate this result, but it took some time for every tennis enthusiast to fathom it – to comprehend the fact that a wild-carded David has beaten the Goliath on his own turf.
The match had undulated moments, stunning comebacks and strong shots. Let us look at 5 things that every tennis fan and expert can take away from this breathtaking competition.
#1 The sport is unpredictable, to say the least
What happened at the Rod Laver Arena today was nothing short of miraculous. Not only did the man from Uzbekistan manage to stretch the world no. 2 to five sets, but also managed to win the match.
It takes a big heart to believe. Istomin believed.
He believed in his ability from the word go and did not give up till he won the match. One thing that this match ceaselessly advocates is that in sport, the only constant is capriciousness. No one can predict the result of any encounter at any stage of the tournament in any sport. That is what makes sport so nerve wracking and savoury.
Who anticipated a world no. 117 to beat the King of Melbourne in the first week of the tournament? Who predicted this match to go the distance? Who predicted for it to open up the draw like it has now?
Tennis predictions have taken a mighty fall all around the world and bizarre statistics are being thrown all over the place. One more time, we have all been fooled by the electrifying enigma that tennis is.
#2 Rankings do not tell the whole story
Istomin had to play Asia wild card qualifiers to enter the main draw at this year’s Australian Open. He has a sole title in ATP tennis to his name – the Nottingham Open that he won in June 2015.
The Uzbek doesn’t have much to gloat about on his resume. If you go by the 30-year-old’s rank and seeding, he had no chance of beating a virtuoso like Novak Djokovic, that too in his zone of dominance.
However, tennis is a lot more than stats and numbers.
What matters is who turns up on the big day and who manages to get the job done. Istomin not only managed to do that, but he did it in style. It seems like Grand Slam second rounds are special for him - the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation had once bestowed him with a refrigerator as a token of appreciation for the ‘hotshot’ that he hit against Rafael Nadal in the Round 2 of the 2010 Australian Open. Today, they might as well reward him with a remodelled kitchen!
#3 Tennis is as much a mental game as it is physical
Ferocious forehands, ballistic backhands and solid serves – every top player possesses all these shots in his arsenal. However, when it comes to the big moment, the weapon that helps you go for the kill is your mental resilience.
Djokovic, who is known for his spirit and fighting attitude, was at the receiving end of the same today. Istomin came into the match with an abandon and did not cede to giving up even once. He was down and out in the third set and everyone thought his challenge was done and dusted. However, he fought back in the 4th set to push the match into a tie-breaker and played his heart out in the same.
The Uzbek had won both sets through tie breakers and the 5th set seemed difficult for him – there are no tiebreaks in it! He was under the hammer in his first two service games. The Serb kept poking at his serve and pushed Istomin to his absolute limit. However, he did not succumb to pressure and pulled out his A game when it mattered the most.
#2 In tennis, things change in a matter of minutes
In the second set, Djokovic was down 2 break points at 4-5 on his serve. He was about to go two sets down and Istomin was in a dominant position.
In a span of minutes, the Serb had fired two stunning down-the-T serves to save the break points and to break Istomin in the very next game. Suddenly, it was Djokovic who had the vantage point. He won the set with the momentum he had gained.
Cut to fourth set, where Istomin was down and rearing from a dominant third set from Djokovic. He was 4-2 down, and it looked like there was nothing he could do to stop the world no. 2 from winning the match.
He found a way though. He broke Novak, saved a set point at 5-5 and pushed the Serb into a tie breaker. Suddenly, Novak was on the back foot and the Uzbek was dictating the game.
The best thing about any sport, especially tennis, is that you can never say it’s over until it’s over. Both the players threw everything that they had in the match and created a plethora of good shots and better rallies. Such effort from both the side can indicate only one thing – the game can never remain in stasis for too long!
#1 Early rounds can produce high-octane tennis
Many tennis ‘enthusiasts’ choose to ignore the first week of a tournament and start watching the action only in the latter stages of the same. This behaviour is guided by the belief that earlier rounds cannot produce as riveting tennis as the quarters, semis or final.
While this might be true in most cases, moments like this manifest magic on the tennis court.
The level of tennis was extremely high at the Rod Laver Arena today. It might’ve been just the second round, but the ongoing action was nothing short of extraordinary. Istomin, with his powerful performance, protracted the match to the highest level. Djokovic, being the champion that he is, followed up.
The match swirled with passion, emotion and power. After it was over, the Uzbek thanked his mother, who is also his coach, his team and the crowd – it seemed like he had won a Grand Slam of his own.
“I feel sorry for Novak, I was playing so good.”
He was, wasn’t he?
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