THE outcome of the latest edition of year-opener Australian Open Grand Slam tournament shows another kind of ‘open’ era in which some old calculations have endured and some new ones have got established. With the victory of the veteran Novak Djocovic in Men’s Singles finals against Danill Medvedev (7-5, 6-2, 6-2) established the domination of the old guard, and the 6-4, 6-3 victory of Naomi Osaka against Jennifer Brady in Women’s Singles Finals showed emergence of new powers-to-be.

 

The details indicate that the whole field is, thus, completely ‘open’ to anybody who has the gumption to stand and stare and dare the challenge and prove oneself better than the rest. Of course, this has always been in all sports in general and tennis in particular. But world tennis has reached an interesting turning point in its journey when many definitions are under challenge and many icons are under threat of losing their aura -- a different kind of ‘open’ era. If this edition of the Australian Open is any indication, tennis is going to be a far more interesting arena in the coming times when no standard definitions would operate in a ‘normal’ manner. That is why a Roger Federer sits out due to injury and his famed friend-cum-foe Rafael Nadal bows out in a gruelling match. Serena Williams, the true superstar of women’s tennis, also therefore bows out to a younger and ‘negligibly’ experienced Naomi Osaka. How times change -- not just details but also perceptions!

 

That is the beauty of modern tennis! Of course, for Novak Djocovic, it was almost business as usual -- a well-fought and well-deserved match that took his Grand Slam tally to 18. About his rival, Djocovic had once said, in effect, that Danill Medvedev was a “player to beat”. And he worked hard to bring into reality his wish, establishing an old-time truth that a seasoned warrior like him has the capacity to produce some brilliance that can stun anybody anywhere. For Medvedev, however, the sting in the fight in the first set just got watered down in subsequent sets, helping his fancied rival to establish his supremacy beyond doubt. For Naomi Osaka, appearing in the final was almost a foregone conclusion, so to say. She has a penchant of having her name engraved on the trophy.

 

And so when she entered court at the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, she told herself that the people never remember the runners-up, a fate she hated to own. The 23-year-old, therefore, has now as many as four Grand Slam titles in her kitty -- sort of a veteran in a career spanning less that five years. She represents a new breed of cool customers whose nerves are in their full control, unlike her role model Serena Williams whose episodes of on-court explosion still rankle many. It must be said that the new-comer Jennifer Brady, too, has a bright prospect in years ahead. But Naomi Osaka proved rather too much of a heavy-weight in the one-sided match. The Australian Open tournament, thus, offered a good indication of what kind of an ‘open’ era lays ahead when old guards and new thrusters will have equal chance to stay out or stick the neck out successfully. Tennis in the current calendar year, thus, will offer a rich fare of a contest between experience and youth -- and also a rich fare of excitement to the fans.