Jordan Smith has enjoyed a whirlwind 24 hours since clinching the One Point Slam title at the Australian Open, along with the A$1 million prize money that accompanied the victory.
Smith captivated fans at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, January 14, stunning a star-studded field, including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, to claim the crown. As he basked in glory, Smith received widespread praise from the tennis world.
Among the highlights was a special meeting with 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, who returned to Melbourne for the first time in six years.
Smith and Federer were seen in a conversation, as Novak Djokovic and Frances Tiafoe faced off in a pre-Australian Open clash.
Smith also crossed paths with Coco Gauff, who shared a photo with Smith and his girlfriend, Jessica Brand, acknowledging her influence on his success.
“Met the legend himself and his girlfriend! Lol. I told her to get in the picture because behind every good man is a great woman,” Gauff wrote.
Smith, a 29-year-old tennis coach from Sydney and a former U.S. college player with a career-high ATP ranking of 1,141, defeated Sinner and Amanda Anisimova en route to the final, where he overcame Joanna Garland to secure the crown.
Roger Federer Revisits His Most Memorable Australian Open Moment
Federer returned to Melbourne, where he won six Australian Open titles, the first of which came in 2004.
Federer singled out his 2017 Australian Open triumph as his most special. The Swiss great defeated longtime rival and close friend, Rafael Nadal, in a five-set final to claim the title. At the time, Federer was 35 years old.
“It has to be 2017 just because of the way it ended in the finals against Rafa. It was surreal. I came here with no expectations. I was maybe going to be happy with the quarters. I played really well at the Hopman Cup. Came here feeling good,” he said.
“Still I knew I had a tough draw, had to go through some big guys to get anywhere close to winning. I think just the way the finals played out kind of makes it maybe one of the best special ones I’ve ever had in my career. What a match, what a celebration, what a moment,” Federer added.
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