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Monday 29 January 2024 11:55, UK
Gigi Salmon takes a look back on her experience at the Australian Open with Aryna Sabalenka's title defence, Jannik Sinner's crowning and her new role as 'coach' of Daniela Hantuchova...
I was thinking about whether or not to reveal my pre-Australian Open picks.
I'm notoriously bad at making predictions but I thought I was in safe hands with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who was coming in as the Brisbane winner, and world No 1, plus 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
There was an early exit for Rybakina followed by a semi-final defeat for Djokovic at the hands of Jannik Sinner.
But what a pleasure it was to witness the devastating defence of her title by Aryna Sabalenka. Pre-tournament the talk was would she be ready? Could she handle the pressure? The answer a resounding yes on both counts.
From first ball to last, she went about taking apart her opponents. She dropped no sets and became only the second player in the last 20 years to win the women's singles title at Melbourne Park without a single game dropped on serve, the other being Serena Williams.
And to outline her form on the biggest of stages, in her last six Grand Slam tournaments she has made three finals, winning two titles with semi-final showings in the other three.
And while it wasn't to be on Saturday night in Melbourne, someone I have no doubt we will see in many more Grand Slam finals is Qinwen Zheng. The 21-year-old from China has made a big impression on and off the court, has made her way into the top 10 with her run to the final and has the game and the presence to go even further.
While there was a successful defence in the women's draw a new champion was crowned in the men's with Sinner coming from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev to win in five after nearly four hours of play.
The discussion around Sinner and when he would be ready to take it to the next level has been going on for a while and in the final he showed that now is his time to shine.
Minutes after he left the Rod Laver Arena, Sinner was already speaking to his coach Simone Vagnozzi about ways to improve, it's easy to forget he's only 22 as he shows maturity beyond his years with a game to match and many more Grand Slams you would think in his future.
But spare a thought for Medvedev who for a second time lost an Australian Open final when leading by two sets, having played over 24 hours of tennis across the course of the two weeks, and then spoke so well despite the rawness of the result and with a touch of humour in his post-match press conference.
I've been really lucky that I got to watch and work on those finals and many more matches across the two weeks from our base which is a commentary box in the bowels of the Rod Laver Arena with a window that looks out onto the court putting you at hip level with the players looking down the court.
It's an incredible view and gives you an even greater appreciation of the movement of the players as they slip and slide their way around the hard court. It was also fully stocked with protein balls which when Pat Cash said they were good for us we bought in loads to keep us going on the long days!
In amongst all of this I was assigned a new job as coach of former world No 5 Daniela Hantuchova, who was taking part in the Legends event. I was assured there would be no unrealistic demands or yelling at the box.
I was issued with a new pass, stating my new job, and was in place for Dani's first match alongside partner and former AO champion Li Na who was back at Melbourne Park 10 years after her win there.
A highlight for me were the coaching box snacks that came round in the form of a laminated menu from which you made your choice, I declined, thinking I would save that for the second match. Unfortunately, there wasn't to be a second match as I missed 7am practice the next day (after my own 1am finish) and I was relieved of my duties.
The good news is on my coaching CV I have a winning record, our friendship is still firmly intact and I think I was semi-rehired on the last day, but I do regret not going for the snacks in the box.
Coaches, especially new coaches are always a talking point in Australia after off-season changes and for the Brits that included Nick Cavaday working alongside Emma Raducanu.
It was great to see Raducanu back after three surgeries and eight months on the sidelines and it will take time, training and competing on a regular basis to see where she can get her ranking up to, but there are positive signs and good to see her looking so relaxed in and around Melbourne Park.
British No 1 Cam Norrie has brought in the former Wimbledon doubles champion Stephen Huss to his team to add in Norrie's words "a different eye". He would lose a heartbreaker to Sacha Zverev but his positive intentions, regular forays to the net, drop shots and fresh forward-thinking intent seem to be here to stay!
Norrie and Raducanu were also among those - and there were many - who paid tribute to esteemed journalist and colleague Mike Dickson who tragically collapsed and died here in Melbourne.
It was the start of a 24th Australian Open for Mike and his sudden death sent shockwaves through the entire tennis community with the outpouring of love and respect from players, tournaments and everyone involved with tennis showing how highly regarded and respected Mike was and how much he will be missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to all of his family and friends.
A tennis community that came together in Melbourne will now go their separate ways around the world.
I'm looking forward to being with the Sky Sports team in Doha from February 11 for the WTA 1000 event that includes world No 1 Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka, US Open champion Coco Gauff and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in what is a star-studded field.
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