The 2022 tennis season had everything. From epic battles to emotional farewells of some of the biggest names, it was a year like no other.
Before the 2023 season begins with the United Cup in Australia, here is a quick look at part one of the top 40 tennis moments of 2022:
Federer retires
In one of the most emotional moments across sports in 2022, Swiss maestro Roger Federer retired from tennis after a 24-year-long career in which he won 20 Majors. The 41-year-old’s final match had Djokovic and Andy Murray cheering him up as he partnered long-time rival Nadal in a 6-4, 6-7 (2), [11-9] doubles loss to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock at the Laver Cup in London. Federer delivered an unforgettable speech after the match. The picture of him holding hands with Nadal while the two sat on the player’s bench and sobbed inconsolably summarised the respect both of them had for each other. Federer later revealed that Nadal was one of the first few people to know about his decision to call it a day.
Nadal wins Australian Open in the most EPIC way
Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal broke the then three-way tie between Djokovic, Roger Federer and him for the most Majors won by a man when he came back from 2-6, 6-7 (5), 2-3 (0-40) down to beat Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in almost five-and-a-half hours and clinched his 21st Major. Nadal also became only the second man in the Open Era to win every Slam at least twice. His title-winning run was even more incredible considering the fact that he had missed the second half of the 2021 season due to an incurable chronic foot injury and COVID-19.
Barty ends Australia’s wait....and then says goodbye
Local favourite and the then World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty ended Australia’s 44-year wait and became the first home player since Chris O’Neil in 1978 to become the Australian Open singles champion by defeating American Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the final. The 25-year-old shocked the world when in March, she announced her retirement from the sport. “I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself ... I don’t have that in me anymore,” she said in a video posted on her Instagram account.
Djokovic’s deportation saga
Months before the actual tournament began, the 2022 Australian Open was the talk of the tennis world with one simple question - Will Novak Djokovic play? Melbourne had one of the strictest lockdowns in the world to curb the spread of COVID-19 and the tournament organisers had earlier made vaccination against the virus mandatory for the participating players. However, they later introduced the grey area of a medical exemption,paving the way for the entry of the unvaccinated Djokovic. As it turned out, an error in Djokovic’s visa application and the politicisation of the issue by the Scott Morrison government eventually led to the nine-time Australian Open champion being deported from the host nation on the eve of the tournament. In July, Australia scrapped a rule that required international travellers to declare their COVID vaccination status and the Serbian, who was originally barred from the country until 2025, recently confirmed that he had been granted a visa to travel and play at the 2023 edition.
Cornet FINALLY reaches Grand Slam quarterfinal
France’s Alize Cornet, 32, finally reached the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam in her 63rd attempt when she upset two-time major winner Simona Halep of Romania 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the fourth round. Cornet dropped down to her knees and clasped her hands, putting them over her face after the match-point. “It’s never too late to try again!” said Cornet in her post-match on-court interview with Jelena Dokic. Thirteen years ago, Cornet had two match points against Dinara Safina in fourth round of the Australian Open and would have faced Dokic in the quarterfinals had she won. The duo’s on-court interview and the embrace, in the end, is one of the most memorable moments of Australian Open 2022.
“Special Ks” Kyrgios and Kokkinakis win Australian Open doubles crown
Nick Kyrgios is finally a Grand Slam champion….in doubles. Along with compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis, Kyrgios had a dream run at his home Slam, the Australian Open. The pair, nicknamed the “Special Ks” as juniors, was awarded a wildcard and made full use of it as it entertained the crowd while upsetting the more established duos on the way. In the final, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis beat another all-Australian pair of Max Purcell and Matt Ebden 7-5, 6-4 to lift the title. The “Special Ks” also won an ATP250 event in Atlanta and even played at the year-end ATP Tour Finals. Kyrgios had a memorable year in singles too as he reached the Wimbledon final and US Open quarterfinals.
Activists with #WhereisPengShuai t-shirts stopped at Australian Open
Almost two-and-a-half months after former women’s world number one double player Peng Shuai of China alleged that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past, which led to concerns about her whereabouts, the #WhereisPengShuai campaign continued at the Australian Open. After a video posted on social media of security officials instructing fans to remove shirts with the slogan on them went viral, Tennis Australia said the fans were free to wear them as long as they don’t become “disruptive”.
ACE King Isner
John Isner, 6’10”, broke Croatian Ivo Karlovic’s all-time record of the most aces in men’s tennis during his third-round loss against Italian Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon. The American who turned 37 in April, surpassed Karlovic’s tally of 13,728 aces with his fifth ace in the match. He served 24 aces in all against Sinner.
Off-court coaching
At one point during the Australian Open semifinal between Medvedev and Tsitsipas, the Russian lost his cool and exploded at the chair umpire for not stopping the Greek’s father from off-court coaching. Five months later, in one of the biggest surprises, the ATP announced that ‘off-court’ coaching will be on trial for the second half of the season, including the US Open.
The ‘Siuing’
While the Australian Open is a tennis tournament, football somehow found its way to make its presence felt at Melbourne Park this year. ‘Siu’, the word Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo uses during his goal-scoring celebration, was widely used by the crowd in Melbourne. At first, it was confused with booing but once it became clear what it actually was, not many players liked it. Andy Murray, who beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5) in the first round, found it “incredibly irritating”.
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