2023 Australian Open

**2023 Australian Open** was a Grand Slam tournament during the 2023 season. It was held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

## Controversy

The balls used during this tournament, which were provided by Dunlop, were criticized by many players for poor durability and a tendency to fluff-up quicker. In turn, this led to longer rallies and neutralized topspins on shots.

Félix Auger-Aliassime had noted, "I don't want to complain about it, but the balls are not bouncing...I don't know if it's the batch of cans, they're terrible." Other players to criticize these balls included Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Over a month later at the ATP Qatar Open, which had also used Dunlop balls, Daniil Medvedev had mentioned concern over such balls increasing the risk of injury during his victory speech:

I want to talk about a little bit more about it because in Australia, I felt like these balls were not good for hard courts, and in the match with Korda, before the match, I had a very big pain in my wrist, but I thought, 'okay, that's my problem, so I'm not going to talk much about it'.

Then in Rotterdam, when doubles players came to me and started talking about balls and started talking that everyone has problems with their elbow, wrist, from doubles players, they think it's because of the balls. I'm like, 'wow, so I'm not the only one'.

Now I see Rune, Tsitsipas, who else, Korda, all wrist, elbow, shoulder. So I think that these balls are not good for hard courts. They get very fluffy, and as I say, it's a big shock to play them with your racquet. [Eurosport]

## Men's Singles Results

Defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain was eliminated by Mackenzie McDonald of the United States in the second round in straight sets. During the second set, Nadal had sustained a hip injury that prevented him from hitting his backhand and hampered his ability to run. An MRI scan would later reveal that this injury was a grade 2 tear to the iliopsoas muscle in his left leg. Due to a lengthy recovery, Nadal would spend the following five months sidelined from competition.

Novak Djokovic won the tournament, dropping one set en route, to secure his tenth Australian Open title and twenty-second slam title overall. Djokovic did not compete the previous year after being deported from Australia for not following vaccination protocol.

## Women's Singles Results

Reigning champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia did not participate, having announced her retirement from professional tennis in March 2022. Aryna Sabalenka, who had lost in the fourth round to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in three sets the previous year, won her Grand Slam singles maiden title. Sabalenka dropped one set the entire tournament.

## Women's Doubles Results

Reigning champions Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková of the Czech Republic successfully defended their title, dropping one set en route.

## Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Australian\_Open

https://www.itftennis.com/en/tournament/australian-open/aus/2023/m-sl-aus-01a-2023/draws-and-results/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Australian\_Open\_%E2%80%93\_Men%27s\_singles

https://www.itftennis.com/en/tournament/australian-open/aus/2023/w-sl-aus-01a-2023/draws-and-results/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Australian\_Open\_%E2%80%93\_Women%27s\_singles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Australian\_Open\_%E2%80%93\_Women%27s\_doubles

https://tennishead.net/australian-open-balls-why-are-players-complaining-about-them/

https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/atp-doha/2023/daniil-medvedev-urges-atp-to-look-at-super-fluffy-balls-due-to-injury-worries-after-qatar-open\_sto9437004/story.shtml

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/\_/id/35470994/australian-open-2023-nadal-vows-another-comeback

https://www.cbssports.com/tennis/news/rafael-nadal-injury-update-22-time-grand-slam-champion-withdraws-from-madrid-open-due-to-hip-injury/