Aussie Open: Djokovic’s Breakthrough, Federer’s Breakdown

While in St. Paul this weekend, I missed seeing the men’s and ladies’ finals of the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic’s victory is a breakthrough for the 20-year old Serbian player who is ranked third in the world. He’s been nipping at the heels of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the world rankings, and he finally had his breakthrough by winning his first Grand Slam tournament. Normally a popular player on the court, Djokivic had the rare distinction of defeating Federer in the semis to the stunned amazement of the crowd.

As for the world’s number one player, Federer will bounce back from his defeat, but he wasn’t his typical dominant self during the competition. It may be time for the Swiss champion to hire a new coach. He’s been without one since last summer. I don’t care how talented or hard-working he is, Federer still needs coaching as much as any other athlete if he wants to continue his success on the tennis court.

Welcome Back, Serena

It was a welcome sight to see Serena Williams at the top of her game during the Australian Open last weekend. After her brilliant victory over Maria Sharapova (6-1, 6-2) to win the title, Williams vaulted 67 places in the WTA rankings to 14. She entered the tournament ranked 81 and unseeded -- unfamiliar territory for Williams. Her defeat of Sharapova left no doubt that she had returned to her old form. It was encouraging to see in light of the fact that American women have largely been absent from the top of the standing for the past year because of injury. The victory also dispelled much of the criticism Williams received about being overweight and out of shape. Hopefully this is the shot in the arm that the American women need to regain their world dominance.

American Men Improve; Federer Still the Best

On the men’s side, Andy Roddick played superbly, showing how much he has improved his game and his mental attitude since working with his new coach Jimmy Connors. That is, until he met Roger Federer. Their showdown in the semifinals was supposed to show just how much Roddick had closed the gap between the two of them. However, Federer, who has been at the top of his game for the last three seasons, sliced up Roddick with amazing precision and eliminated the top American men’s player. Federer went on to win the Australian Open, his 10th Grand Slam title. He was the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a tournament without losing a single set. It makes you wonder if anyone can beat this guy.