AO Day 1 - Djokovic pushed like never before; The Backhand is back

On the first ever Sunday start at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic was pushed to four hours by 18-year-old Dino Prizmic. On the pod, Catherine, David and Matt discuss what made Prizmic's performance so impressive, why Djokovic was full of praise for him, and what effect this might have on Djokovic for the rest of the tournament. The length of that match meant that Aryna Sabalenka didn't step onto court until 11:33pm to a largely empty stadium, meaning the special moment of her return as defending champion was spoiled. She delivered a statement performance though. Elsewhere there's chat about Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev surviving five set scares, the return of Amanda Anisimova, mixed success for Australian sensations, Jannik Sinner's rusty first match of the year, Maria Sakkari's new racquet, and much more. On LocationWe are proud to be sponsored by On Location, the premium hospitality and experience provider, throughout the Australian Open.And for the first time ever, On Location will be the Official Hospitality Provider of The Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.That means that you can gain unparalleled access to the Olympic Games when they take place in Paris from Friday 26th July to Sunday 11th August 2024.Packages can be purchased online, or a dedicated On Location team member can contact you directly to create your perfect package.On Location at The Olympic GamesOUR LINKS:Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout 2024, including Tennis Re-Lived and Grand Slam review shows, as well as monthly live shows on YouTube. Sign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more)Follow us on TwitterFollow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.Check out our ShopRead our New York Times profileTennis Podcast Terminology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.