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The 33-year-old extended his own record with an
emphatic 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev at Rod Laver
Arena on Sunday, despite carrying the injury suffered in the
third round of the tournament.
Parading his trophy on the beach in the Melbourne suburb of
Brighton on Monday, Djokovic said a second scan of his abdomen
had revealed he had made the injury worse by playing on.
"I just came actually came from another MRI that I've done this
morning and the damage is bigger than what it was when it
happened, when I did the first MRI after the third round," he
told reporters.
"It's not too bad judging by what doctor said but I'll have to
take some time off and heal. The tear is bigger."
The injury was not the only issue Djokovic had to contend with
during his time in Australia.
The world number one riled some locals when he submitted
suggestions to organisers over how quarantine conditions for
players could be improved.
The ups and downs of what he described as a "rollercoaster" of a
trip Down Under had made his 18th Grand Slam title triumph all
the more satisfying.
"I reflect on it as a great experience, and a unique journey,
and I would definitely remember and try to take out a lot of
positives from it," he said.
"I have learned a lot of lessons, and learned a lot of things,
about myself and about everything that was going on in the last
five to six weeks, but I think that everything that was
happening on and off the court makes this victory even better
and even sweeter."
Djokovic said he had celebrated his triumph by calling his
family back home in Serbia and sitting down for a meal capped
off with a cake.
"I used to go wild and go to discotheques and nightclubs and god
knows what, and now it is a bit different," he said.
"A different kind of celebration, more of a home a celebration
with family and close people."
(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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