Monday Digest: Djokovic reigns, Sabalenka breaks through in Australia

The trophy ceremonies at the Australian Open celebrated two very different victories.

On Saturday, it was a first-time champion having overcome a serious challenge to claim a long-awaited title.

On Sunday, it was business as usual with a familiar face making it look easy on Rod Laver Arena.

And just like that, the first Grand Slam event of the season is behind us. Here’s what you need to know:

In Case You Missed It: Old and New in Australia

At the end of the fortnight in Melbourne, not many were likely surprised by who lifted the trophies.

On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic joined Rafael Nadal in a pair of exclusive clubs by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim his 10^th Australian Open crown.

With the win, he joins his Spanish rival at the top of the men’s Grand Slam singles title list with 22 apiece. He and Nadal are also the only two men to hit double-digit titles at a single major.

Check out the full Australian Open men’s recap at nationalbankopen.com.

While hardly a familiar champion, it has felt like just a matter of time until Aryna Sabalenka won a major title. It finally came to be in 2023 as she defeated reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a thrilling three-set final to win her first Grand Slam title.

With the win, she jumps back to her career-high ranking of No. 2 in the world.

Check out the full Australian Open women’s recap at omniumbanquenationale.com.

The Canadian content was limited in week two of the season’s first major. Gabriela Dabrowski was the only Canadian to get through the first week but went down in the third round of the women’s doubles.

What to Watch: Bianca looks to bounce back

Bianca Andreescu is wasting no time in trying to put her heart-breaking second round loss in Melbourne behind her as she is competing this week at the WTA 250 event in Hua Hun, Thailand.

Andreescu is the top seed at the Thailand Open and meets Harriet Dart in the first round. She could face fifth seed Marta Kostyuk in the quarter-finals. Fourth seed Anna Kalinskaya is the Canadian’s projected semifinal opponent.

Yulia Putintseva is the second seed.

The other 250 event on the WTA Tour this week in is Lyon and features home favourites Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet.

The ATP Tour takes a back seat to the Davis Cup this week as the qualifying round is taking place with 24 teams fighting for 12 places in the 2023 Davis Cup Finals group stage.

Big name players suiting up for their countries this weekend include world No. 4 Casper Ruud for Norway against a Djokovic-less Serbia, Dominic Thiem for Austria against the powerhouse Croatians, and Alexander Zverev for Germany against neighbours Switzerland.

Simply by having reached the 2022 final, let alone winning the title, Canada received a bye to the 2023 Davis Cup Finals group stage and does not need to play in qualifying this weekend.

Under the Radar: One step farther for Sigouin

A week after falling in an ITF doubles final, Benjamin Sigouin was able to get the job done at the M15 event in Edmond, OK, claiming the title alongside Max Kiger. They only dropped one set at the tournament.

It’s a third career ITF doubles title for Sigouin.

Another Canadian, Roy Stepanov, reached a doubles final last week on the ITF Tour, but he fell in the M25 final in Wesley Chapel, FL in straight sets.

The first WTA 125 event of the year is taking place this week with a pair of Canadians, Carol Zhao and Cadence Brace, in the draw. There is a large group of Canadians competing on the ATP Challenger tour this week, including a foursome led by Gabriel Diallo at the Cleveland Open.

You can follow the Canadians in action every week here.