WATCH: Novak Djokovic greeted with loud cheers at Rod Laver Arena on Australian Open competitive return
Novak Djokovic walked out to a rousing reception at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday on his competitive return to the Australian Open. As the nine-time champion entered the court for his first-round match against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena, he was greeted with loud cheers by a crowd filled with fans carrying Serbian flags and Djokovic cutouts/posters.
Djokovic, who played a practice match against Nick Kyrgios at the Rod Laver Arena last Friday, took the court for his first official match at the Australian Open since winning the final in 2021 against Daniil Medvedev.
You can watch the Serb's entry here:
Listen to the noise 🙌
The 9x champion is back!
@DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2023 https://t.co/4zVMHeK3sk
Ahead of the start of his campaign in Melbourne, Djokovic had concerns over the reception he would get from the crowds at his most successful Major. After being greeted very cordially and positively by fans during his Adelaide International 1 campaign, the 35-year-old expressed hope of receiving a similar reaction on his Australian Open return.
"I was a little bit curious to see how I would be received in Adelaide," the Serb said in a recent interview with Channel Nine. "The reception was fantastic. I’ve had an amazing tournament, had tremendous support - [a] packed house every match.
"[But] I don’t know [about Melbourne], but I hope positive. I really hope the crowd will be receiving me well, I guess. That’s something that I can’t predict, I don’t know," he added.
The reception during his practice match against Kyrgios, and particularly on Tuesday, must have certainly alleviated his worries to a great extent.
Injury scare still a concern for Novak Djokovic as he walks out for opening match at Australian Open 2023
In his otherwise very positive build-up to the 2023 Australian Open, a thigh injury has been a point of concern for Novak Djokovic. He even canceled a couple of practice sessions in the last few days leading up to the tournament. The former World No. 1 walked out to Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday for his match against Carballes Baena with heavy strapping around his left thigh.
However, the Serbian great himself has laid to rest major concerns by suggesting that his injury is not a big problem. His movements early in the match on Tuesday, too, were not alarming. It will thus be interesting to see how the niggle holds up as he plays more tennis.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion has a lot at stake at the 2023 Australian Open. He is bidding for a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam singles title and also to become only the second man in history to win the same Grand Slam singles event at least 10 times.