Djokovic defeats Carballes Baena in commanding straight sets win

When Novak Djokovic finally walked onto Rod Laver Arena again he was no longer the anti-vax villain of last year. He was just the returning nine-time champion.

When he walked off the court two hours later after a commanding straight sets win over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, he looked like a man poised to win his 10th Australian Open.

The fans had come to see him. They had endured the angry heat for most of the day, then the rain but were undeterred as they gathered to greet Djokovic.

The last 12 months has proven one thing – Novak Djokovic is vastly more popular than Scott Morrison. Actually, a bowl of cold porridge was probably more popular than the former PM by election time, while the tennis player in contrast never lost his base.

The vax-averse tennis champion, blocked from competing last year after having his visa pulled for his vaccination stance, was finally allowed back in the country and then to the Australian Open centre court.

He was greeted with a gushing reception. With scores of Serbian flags flapping in the stands, a loud long cheer and chants of “Novak” rang out on Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic plays a backhand.Credit:Getty

He delivered the sort of tennis performance they came to see.

“Thank you for giving me such a welcome and reception. I could only dream of that,” Djokovic said after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 win.

“I felt very welcome on the court, especially the Serbian community that is big here in Australia has welcomed me in an incredible way. So much support. So much love.

“I mean, I could not ask for a better start of the tournament in terms of support, in terms of how I felt on the court and also playing.

Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain serves in the round one match.Credit:Getty

“I just want to say I love my parents and my brother, they are here. After 15 years they were here in 2008 when I won my first slam so hopefully they bring me luck.”

In truth, this was a crowd of die-hard fans who would probably have welcomed him in this way last year had he been approved to play. This was his crowd, and his court.

This year there was more talk of whether a hamstring injury would stop him, not a visa or a vaccine stance.

To that end, he walked on court with his upper left leg heavily strapped. Clearly it is not right, but just as clearly after two hours of authoritative tennis it is not that wrong either.

It’s the leg he pushes off on serve and his serve was as powerful as ever – still topping over the 200km/h mark – and groundstrokes indeed looked to have more power on the forehand in particular than last time he was here.

“The leg is good. It’s not ideal, but it’s getting there. Today was a really good test. Haven’t had too much training in the last few days, to be honest with you, tennis-wise,” he said.

“I was really, really hoping that things will be well on the court from the first to the last point, which was the case. I’m actually really glad that it felt better as the match progressed. The third set was great. I mean, that’s a good signal, a good sign.

“I was also kind of testing my leg a little bit [in the first two sets]. At the beginning I was a bit tight, I would say, mentally as well, to protect something that was bothering me the last 10 days. So it took me a little bit of time to really get into the match and start, I guess, moving more freely.

“It was a great sign that the longer the match went, the better I felt, the better I moved.”

In the second set there was a moment that betrayed some discomfort in the leg. He was made to stretch for a ball at the net and pulled up slightly short and hopped quickly, favouring his leg, after losing the point. Maybe by that time he’d started to fatigue a little and he felt a twinge. It did not unduly trouble him.

Djokovic had started a little cautiously, then, after taking a loo break (despite the chair ump appearing to tell him he couldn’t because the match was only five games old, but Djokovic ran off anyway), he came back playing more ambitiously. He was driving forehands down the line, then doing the same with his backhand, biting out corners and splashes of the paint.

Unfortunately for Carballes Baena, he had played extremely well, he just ran into Djokovic. He’d have beaten a lot of other players the way he played.

But the way Djokovic played, it was hard to imagine the player at this tournament who will stop him.

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