Novak Djokovic Loses in Surprise Match at Brisbane International 🎾
Hey tennis fans! Something unexpected happened at the Brisbane International tennis tournament. Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis players ever, was defeated by Reilly Opelka, who is ranked No. 293 in the world! 😲
This exciting match took place on the center court and lasted one hour and 40 minutes. Opelka won with scores of 7-6(6), 6-3. He served 16 aces! An ace is when the server hits the ball so well that the other player can’t touch it. That’s a lot of great serves! 💪
After the match, Opelka said, “The reality is we had nothing to lose coming in against him. He’s the greatest player ever, so you end up playing more free and you take a lot more risks, because it’s your only chance. If you play at your normal level, he’s going to win every time.”
This was the biggest win of Opelka’s career and his first time playing against Djokovic. Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles, which are the biggest tournaments in tennis. But even great champions can have tough days.
Because of this loss, Djokovic remains at 99 career singles titles. He was hoping to reach 100 before the Australian Open, which he has won 10 times! 🏆
In other tennis news, Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus, who is the world number one for women, beat Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic with scores of 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka will now play against Mirra Andreeva, a teenage tennis star from Russia! 🎾
Reference(s):
Novak Djokovic ousted by Reilly Opelka at Brisbane International
cgtn.com
