During the ATP 250 final in Adelaide, Novak Djokovic found himself on the brink of elimination when Sebastian Korda held a championship point. Displaying his trademark mental toughness, Djokovic clawed his way back to win the Adelaide International 1 title. The match was a brutal three-hour and nine-minute struggle, ending in a 6-7(8), 7-6(3), 6-4 victory for the Serbian after he managed to escape a 5-6 deficit in the second set. This grueling win is expected to sharpen his energy and focus just in time for the Australian Open later this month.
Novak Djokovic was nearly out when he faced championship point against America’s Sebastian Korda in the final of the ATP 250 in Adelaide. But Djokovic dug deep to save the match point and secured the Adelaide International 1 title. Djokovic registered an emphatic 6-7(8), 7-6(3), 6-4 win over the American after saving a championship point at 5-6 in the second set. The Serbian star rallied past Korda after producing a brutal battle for three hours and nine minutes. A hard-fought win in the final would boost Djokovic’s hopes and energy levels ahead of this month’s Australian Open.
This triumph gives Djokovic his 92nd career title at the tour level, putting the 35-year-old on par with Rafael Nadal for the second-most ATP singles titles in the open era. They currently trail only Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (103), and Ivan Lendl (94). His record in Australia remains staggering, boasting 34 consecutive wins since 2019 and an overall recent record of 23 wins in 24 outings.
Coming off a straight-sets victory over Russia's Danill Medvedev in the semi-finals—a match he won despite battling a hamstring injury—Djokovic looked sharp and unrestricted. He set a high tempo from the very first point with an intense baseline exchange, though he was pushed to his limits by a fearless and aggressive performance from Korda.
The tension peaked in the second set with Djokovic serving at 5-6 and facing 30/40. Korda was just one shot away from the biggest victory of his professional life. However, the top seed kept his composure and executed a clever overhead to save the point. That moment shifted the momentum, allowing Djokovic to push through the tie-break and force a deciding third set.
Despite letting a golden opportunity slip, the 22-year-old Korda didn't back down, fighting hard and saving two break points at 1-2 to disrupt Djokovic's rhythm. However, the tide turned for good when Korda served at 5-4 in the final set; a double fault and two subsequent errors allowed Djokovic to break serve and seal the victory. The Serbian's experience ultimately denied the young American a landmark career win.
Following the match, Djokovic praised Korda's tenacity, noting that the American's game is impressive and his future in tennis looks very promising. Now, Djokovic turns his attention to the Australian Open, where he will chase a record-breaking 10th title to tie Rafael Nadal's total of 22 Grand Slams.