Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce declared Arrowhead Stadium "Mahomes' house" after finally defeating Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
There had been plenty of talk in the lead-up about the success Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has enjoyed against the Chiefs, sporting a 3-0 record against Mahomes' crew heading into the contest. It had led to Bengals fans calling the Chiefs' home ground 'Burrowhead', which clearly irked Kansas City players.
Despite playing with a high ankle sprain, Mahomes found a way to get one over the number one overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, completing 29 of his 43 passes for 326 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
He also made the game-deciding play when he scrambled on his bad ankle with 15 seconds left in regulation, converting a third-and-four and making it to the sideline to stop the clock. After crossing the sideline, he was hit late by Joseph Ossai, resulting in a 15-yard penalty to put Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker into range for the game-winner.
Burrow put together a respectable stat line, completing 26 of his 41 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown, but he threw two crucial interceptions.
In the immediate aftermath during his on-field interview, Mahomes was interrupted by his future Hall of Fame tight end with a very clear message.
"Burrowhead my a**," he said. "It's Mahomes' house!"
Offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr also chimed in about Mahomes: "World's greatest! Give him his respect! Stamp him!"
Mahomes was far more under control during his interview, but also referenced his displeasure about the Burrowhead nickname.
"First off I want to thank God, man," he said. "He healed my body this week and gave me the strength to be out here.
"As for this team, man, we play together. I said it from the beginning, when we were in the locker room, I said 'we've got to be together' – and this team stepped up against a great football team.
"We showed this place that it's Arrowhead, it's not 'Burrowhead' out here."
When asked about the Chiefs' impending Super Bowl date against the Philadelphia Eagles, Mahomes gave plenty of respect to the NFC Champions.
"They're a great football team, I've watched them all year long," he said. "Great quarterback, and a great entire team. It's going to be a great challenge for us, but I'm going to celebrate this one first.
"I'm going to get back with my team – I don't think we have any cigars – but we'll be ready to go at the Super Bowl."
A limping Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl LVII with a 23-20 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.
Mahomes had sustained a high ankle sprain in the Divisional round victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars but was determined not to miss the opportunity to gain revenge following last year's loss against the Bengals at the same stage.
In that reverse, Mahomes followed an outstanding first half with an uncharacteristically shambolic second that cost the Chiefs.
However, on Sunday, as the game wore on and the temperature dropped, Mahomes showed signs of his injury affecting him but refused to relent, finishing with 29-of-43 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, along with a vital late run.
Mahomes was largely able to stay clean in the first half while Joe Burrow took some punishment, but the Chiefs' sole TD pass found Travis Kelce on fourth-and-one.
Memories of last year's loss might have come to mind as the Bengals came out stronger in the third quarter and Tee Higgins sensationally reeled in a pinpoint Burrow TD pass down the sideline.
A hobbling Mahomes battled on and connected with Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a scrambling score, only for Burrow to find Ja'Marr Chase deep on fourth-and-six to set up Samaje Perine to run it in.
With the scores tied, both QBs struggled to get the job done as overtime neared, but Chris Jones sacked Burrow to force a Bengals punt, with Skyy Moore's 27-yard return keeping the Chiefs alive.
When Mahomes – understandably reluctant to run the ball until that stage – made up five yards and was shoved by Joseph Ossai after running out of bounds, a 15-yard penalty left Harrison Butker with the 45-yard game-winning field goal to set up a Super Bowl meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce keeping fine company
Restricted by his injury, Mahomes needed help from his receivers and got it. He completed passes to 10 team-mates, but Kelce was unsurprisingly his primary target, completing seven of nine attempts for a TD.
That was Kelce's 15th receiving TD in the postseason, drawing him level with fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski and now trailing only wide receiver Jerry Rice (22) for all-time postseason scores.
Burrow takes a beating
This was the first time Burrow had lost to Mahomes, with the Chiefs clearly irked by talk of the Bengals QB's dominance in this matchup. The Chiefs got to Burrow time and again early on, with four sacks before halftime.
Coming into the game, Burrow was 14-1 this season when sacked four times or fewer but 0-3 when sacked five times or more. That fifth and final sack from Jones proved so pivotal.
Kyle Shanahan was confident the San Francisco 49ers could compete with the Philadelphia Eagles in the AFC Championship game despite the loss of quarterback Brock Purdy.
The rookie QB was forced off at the end of the 49ers first drive with an elbow injury after his throwing arm was hit by Eagles edge-rusher Haason Reddick, leading to the introduction of fourth-stringer Josh Johnson.
More bad luck followed for the 49ers though, with Johnson ruled out due to the concussion protocol and Purdy reintroduced, albeit unable to throw deep passes, in an eventual 31-7 loss.
However, Shanahan felt the team had hope of a comeback until the final Eagles touchdown that led to a three-score lead.
"I don't think we're numb, the guys were up for the challenge. The defence was playing really well, we thought Josh was going to go in there, execute our plan and give us a chance," he told reporters.
"We felt confident coming out in the third quarter, but in that opening drive we lost our last quarterback.
"After that, we were inspired watching our defence, down two scores, we thought we could run the ball well enough and generate some stuff, hopefully get a turnover the other side, but we didn't move the chains enough and once they got that third score, it was really tough to catch up.
"The guys are pretty down in there, we were really excited for today and for the opportunity to play that team. They played great, they did good things, but we wish we had a better opportunity than what we did today."
A controversial incident in the first quarter was a fourth-down conversion for the Eagles in a 29-yard pass to Devonta Smith, which he appeared to drop on closer inspection of the replays.
Questions have been asked as to why Shanahan did not challenge the on-field decision, though there was a simple explanation.
"The replays we saw didn't definitively show that [the catch was dropped]," he explained.
"I was going to throw one anyway, to take the chance, but they showed one on the scoreboard that didn't have all the angles that you guys saw and it looked like a catch. We didn't want to waste a timeout.
"We definitely would have [challenged] if we hadn't had seen that. Then I heard they got a couple of angles and you ended up seeing later than it's not a catch."
Brock Purdy has "no idea" on the full extent of the elbow injury that saw his influence in the NFC Championship game severely limited.
The rookie quarterback threw just four passes in the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles, two of which came on the opening drive before he exited the game due to injury.
Unable to throw on the sidelines, Purdy was not set to go back in, but the 49ers had their hand forced when 4th-string QB Josh Johnson was ruled out in concussion protocol after hitting his head on the ground.
That led to Purdy's reintroduction to the game, but the 49ers had their passing game off the cards, with only two short completions through the air for the remainder of the contest.
Speaking after the game, Purdy confirmed he will have an MRI on Monday to find out the severity of the problem.
"I was throwing after the hit on the sidelines just to see where I was at but even in those throws it was painful. I couldn't throw anything over five-to-ten yards, so that's why we just had some screens," he told reporters.
"I told him [Kyle Shanahan] right there if we run a play, I can't throw deep. It's hurting really bad. If we're going to get a complete, it has to be something short, if that's alright.
"It felt stretched out, I felt a lot of shocks from my elbow down to my wrist. I have no idea, I'll have an MRI tomorrow. It's swollen in the forearm area."
Purdy also said he felt sorry for the more experienced teammates on the team following the loss, though Fred Warner made it clear he was the reason the team progressed so far this season.
"He has nothing to be sad about. He's the reason we even got to this game," he said.
"When Jimmy [Garoppolo] went down against the Dolphins, we didn't know what our season would be. He did a heck of a job."
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni declared his side as boasting "the most physical defense in this league" after manhandling the banged-up San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
The 49ers were held to just one scoring drive in the 31-7 demolition, as starting quarterback Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson were both knocked out of the game after absorbing hits from the Eagles' defensive line.
Purdy had his throwing arm hit by edge-rusher Haason Reddick halfway through the first quarter, forcing a fumble and causing an elbow injury that forced the talented rookie to watch from the sidelines.
However, Purdy was then called upon to re-enter the game early in the third period after Johnson was hit by hulking defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and slammed the back of his head against the turf, resulting in a concussion.
Purdy's elbow was clearly restricting his ability to throw the ball, attempting only two passes on the 49ers' final three drives as they trailed by multiple scores.
Overall, the Eagles' defense held the 49ers to 83 passing yards and 81 rushing yards, making a statement against a San Francisco side who boasted what was considered the league's best defense coming into the contest.
During his postgame media appearance, quarterback Jalen Hurts agreed the 49ers had "the best defense in the league" but gave a shout-out to Reddick for his game-wrecking dominance after also collecting two sacks.
"They played a really good game, they have a really good coach," he said. "I've always talked about that, he does a really good job with them, especially the guys up front.
"We ran the ball really well, and I think they didn't give us many opportunities to take shots down the field – we had some one-on-one shots, hit or miss – but we kind of took what they gave us, it ended up being one of those games.
"We put ourselves in this position. There are definitely things out there that we're going to learn from, but this team played a hell of a game today.
"Haason Reddick – he's been a bad dude all year. That's what we need going forward."
He added: "We're going to the Super Bowl. We put a lot of work in to have this opportunity, and to be here, it's a moment we want to enjoy as a team.
"Reflecting on everything we've been able to overcome to have this opportunity in front of us – we want to take advantage of it.
"The atmosphere tonight was amazing, the fans showed up. The energy, all of it, we need to bring that to [Arizona]."
Speaking during the NFC Championship trophy presentation, Sirianni credited his defense for the one-sided nature of the matchup.
"This defense just keeps coming to work every single day, and killing it," he said. "This is the most physical defense in this league.
"[Defensive coordinator] Jonathan Gannon did a great job, the leaders on our defensive line where it all starts did a great job, our secondary, linebackers – I mean, it was great team defense. 11 as one, and they competed with one heartbeat tonight."
In the immediate aftermath following the final whistle, Sirianni discussed how it is every football player's lifelong dream to play in the Super Bowl.
"Obviously this is something you dream about as a kid," he said. "All these guys on our team have dreamt about this their entire lives, too.
"So, to be able to do this together with a group of men who love each other, who are connected to each other, who would do anything for each other is pretty sweet.
"You see this city and the passion they have for this team. We're so appreciative of these fans. Look at this place – there's no place like this in the NFL.
"It's a hard-working city, a blue-collar city, and we tend to think that's the type of team we have with the guys we have on the O-line, D-line, but it doesn't stop at O-line, D-line.
"We've got tough guys everywhere, guys who give it up for each other everywhere."
It will be the Eagles' fourth Super Bowl appearance, where they will be seeking their second championship after Nick Foles led the franchise to their first in 2018.
Roger Federer hailed Novak Djokovic's 10th Australian Open title as an "incredible" feat as the Serbian joined Rafael Nadal on 22 singles grand slams.
Although Federer became the first man to reach 20 majors when he took the 2018 Australian Open title, the Swiss great could not add to that tally before retiring last September and has been overtaken by his two greatest rivals.
With Nadal struggling to stay fit and build up form, it appears Djokovic is the most likely man to add to his haul and finish his career as the outright most successful man in grand slam history.
"Incredible effort, again! Many congratulations," Federer wrote in an Instagram story, acclaiming Djokovic's straight-sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic's Professional Tennis Players Association co-founder Vasek Pospisil described the Serbian as the tennis "man of steel". Fellow ATP Tour stars Denis Shapovalov and Holger Rune also sent messages of praise on social media to Djokovic, as did Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt.
The Dallas Cowboys will have a new look offensively next season after ownership and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore mutually agreed to part ways.
The move was reported on Sunday, one week after the Cowboys struggled offensively in a 19-12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in a Divisional round game.
Head coach Mike McCarthy will reportedly take over play-calling duties from Moore, who had one year remaining on his contract and had been the Cowboys' offensive coordinator since 2019.
Under Moore, Dallas led the NFL in total yards in 2019 and 2021 and also had the league's top-ranked scoring offense last season at 31.2 points per game.
The Cowboys finished the 2022 regular season ranked fourth in the NFL in scoring (27.5 points per game) and 11th in total offense (354.9 yards per game), but the team managed just 282 total yards and one touchdown in the loss to the 49ers.
Dak Prescott threw two interceptions in that defeat after leading the league with a career-worst 15 picks.
The defeat at San Francisco marked another disappointing ending to a season for a Cowboys team who once again suffered an early playoff exit. Dallas have not advanced past the Divisional round of the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl following the 1995 season.
The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history after a dominant NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, who were hampered by injuries to Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson.
A big 31-7 victory was never really in doubt as the luckless 49ers dealt with yet more injury misfortune in the biggest game of their season.
Already without quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, surprise rookie star Purdy – the final pick in the 2022 draft – left the game at the end of the team's opening drive after a Haason Reddick strip sack saw his right elbow injured.
Johnson unconvincingly came in for Purdy, only to be ruled out after his head hit the ground and he was checked for a concussion. Purdy returned but was clearly limited, seemingly unable to throw the ball as the 49ers' season ended in frustrating fashion.
Miles Sanders had wandered straight up the middle for the opening touchdown, but the 49ers then kept the Eagles in check following Purdy's injury and levelled the game via a remarkable 23-yard Christian McCaffrey TD as he ran through a series of tackles.
The contrast of those two scores epitomised the game for these two teams, however, and Sanders again found a gap to restore the Eagles' lead.
Boston Scott ran in another and, with Purdy repeatedly handing the ball off to a stifled 49er rushing offense, Jalen Hurts also forced his way into the endzone to build an unassailable lead.
Early chaos benefits Eagles
No team scored more points on their opening offensive possessions in the regular season than the Eagles, but the drive that led to Sanders' early TD set in motion a manic first quarter. It included a 29-yard pass for a fourth down conversion that replays showed Devonta Smith appeared to drop. That was not spotted until after play resumed.
The 49ers had already seen Fred Warner take a trip to the blue tent, and Purdy's injury was not their last of the quarter as Nick Bosa was wiped out on the sideline. Meanwhile, Johnson came in for Purdy and was likewise promptly run over by the relentless Reddick.
An unforgettable quarter ended with the Eagles claiming – unsuccessfully – a punt had hit an overhead wire. The 49ers started the second quarter with the ball, their fourth-string QB and a 7-0 deficit.
Running to the Super Bowl
The 49ers paid the price both for their injuries and a sequence of understandably frustrated penalties, but there was also a complete mismatch in the run game.
While this should have been a close call between the Eagles' most successful run offense and the 49ers' second-most successful run defense, four TDs on the ground saw Philly set a single-season record across the regular season and postseason, improving to 39 rushing scores for the year.
The NBA referees' official Twitter account apologised for a "gut-wrenching" mistake after a decisive last-minute officiating error cost the Los Angeles Lakers against the Boston Celtics.
With the score tied at 105-105, LeBron James was smacked on his shooting arm at the rim by Jayson Tatum as the Lakers star went for glory with under five seconds remaining on the clock.
The four-time MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP would fall short with his attempted drive before the Celtics snatched a 125-121 triumph in overtime.
James, Anthony Davis and the entire Lakers bench erupted at the last-gasp call, with Patrick Beverley issued a technical foul after bringing over a camera to referee Eric Lewis to review the decision.
Davis said Los Angeles were "cheated", while James expressed confusion at the clear error and the NBA referees took to social media to apologise on Sunday.
"Like everyone else, referees make mistakes. We made one at the end of last night's game and that is gut-wrenching for us," the official account wrote.
"This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be."
The apology may prove little consolation for James, whose 41 points on Saturday in Boston proved in vain.
Defeat saw the Lakers fall to 23-27, sitting 13th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference ahead of four road games in the coming week.
Los Angeles will look to bounce back at the Brooklyn Nets on Monday without James and Davis after the Lakers confirmed the pair would be absent on the first night of their back-to-back.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers' game at the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
James is dealing with left ankle soreness, while Davis has a right foot stress injury, the team confirmed the day before the game.
Both men played in Saturday's overtime loss to the Boston Celtics, in which James scored 41 points.
For James, his absence in Brooklyn may well mean a historic NBA moment comes in front of a home crowd in Los Angeles.
The four-time MVP now has 38,271 career regular season points, putting him just 116 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record.
Averaging 30.2 points per game this season, James would only require four more games to pass Abdul-Jabbar at his current rate of scoring.
The Lakers have four games in this coming week – all on the road.
After that, the Lakers return to Staples Center on February 7 to play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game in which James will likely be targeting the record.
The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio to take over as the team's new defensive coordinator.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday that Fangio will become the league's highest-paid coordinator as part of a three-year contract that includes a fourth-year team option.
Fangio was out of the NFL this season after being fired by Denver following the 2021 campaign. He went 19-30 with no playoff appearances in three seasons leading the Broncos.
That was Fangio's first NFL head coaching job after breaking into the league as linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints in 1986.
Miami went 9-8 this season under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel and returned to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 campaign before losing 34-31 to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round.
The Dolphins finished 18th in the NFL with 337.8 yards allowed per game and 24th in scoring defense, giving up an average of 23.5 points.
Henry Slade has withdrawn from the England squad for their Six Nations opener against Scotland on February 4.
New head coach Steve Borthwick confirmed his 36-man selection for the Calcutta Cup on Sunday, with Slade left out after suffering a hip injury in Exeter Chief's European Champions Cup game against Castres last week.
Jamie George has overcome a head injury to make the squad, as has Anthony Watson (leg) after he featured for Leicester Tigers against Northampton Saints on Saturday.
After confirming the squad, Borthwick said: "This is a very important week for us as we prepare for our first game against Scotland.
"We know that Scotland are an excellent side with a great coaching team led by Gregor Townsend. They're a settled squad who have been together a long time and have dominated this fixture in recent seasons.
"They will be coming to Twickenham full of confidence.
"We know we have a lot of work to do. The team trained very hard last week and are ready to go again this week. We can't wait to run out at Twickenham again in front of our incredible supporters."
It was also confirmed that Slade and vice-captain Courtney Lawes will continue rehab work within the camp during the week.
England squad to face Scotland
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Jonny Hill, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam, David Ribbans, Bevan Rodd, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis
Backs: Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Dan Kelly, Ollie Lawrence, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Cadan Murley, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs
Novak Djokovic has been tipped by Nick Kyrgios to win at least 28 grand slams and become the most successful singles player in tennis history.
The prediction came after 35-year-old Djokovic reached 22 major triumphs on Sunday by landing the Australian Open title for a 10th time.
He now holds a share of the men's singles record with Rafael Nadal, but Djokovic made it clear after his latest big-stage success that he feels capable of collecting many more top-tier trophies.
Kyrgios is ostensibly a rival and was beaten by the Serbian in last year's Wimbledon final, but the Australian has also become one of Djokovic's greatest admirers.
In the wake of Djokovic beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Melbourne Park final, Kyrgios posted on Twitter: "Haha I told you. We created a monster. Well done @DjokerNole [Djokovic].
"Sat on my couch and enjoyed the entire show. He will get to 28 slams easy."
Kyrgios was also impressed by Djokovic emerging post-match in a jacket emblazoned with '22', a reminder of when Roger Federer had '15' on his top after winning Wimbledon in 2009 to take the outright lead in the men's grand slam race.
Federer burst past Pete Sampras, who had previously held the record for the most men's singles majors, but Djokovic and Nadal have since overtaken the Swiss, who retired last September after 20 slam successes.
The French Open in May and June could see an almighty tussle for the title as 14-time Roland Garros champion Nadal hunts another victory in Paris, while Djokovic bids to dethrone him and go to 23 singles slams, the same number as Serena Williams won.
Australian Margaret Court won more singles majors than anybody, with 24, but Kyrgios sees Djokovic soon overhauling that number.
Looking at his sartorial choice, Kyrgios saluted Djokovic's audacity, writing: "The jacket with 22 on it is elite energy, haha I love it…. NEED MORE."
Jake Paul "definitely still doubts" whether his planned bout with Tommy Fury next month will go ahead.
It was announced last week that YouTube sensation Paul and reality television personality Fury will meet in Saudi Arabia on February 26.
They came face-to-face on Saturday during the uncared for the Anthony Yarde versus Artur Beterbiev bout, with security having to step in.
However, after previous fights between the pair scheduled for December 2021 and August last year were called off, Paul is wary of his opponent withdrawing once again.
"A part of me definitely still doubts," Paul is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
"It's scary and it's annoying, and the kid's not necessarily reliable but the money's good, for him, so he would be just so dumb [not to go ahead with the fight]."
Paul confirmed MMA fighter Mike Perry, who left UFC two years ago, has been placed on standby to fill in should Fury pull out.
The 26-year-old's move to boxing from the social media world has drawn plenty of criticism, but Fury would be the first professional boxer he has faced in a six-fight career to date.
"I'm validated. I've done everything I needed to do in this sport for me personally," Paul said.
"I've proved everything to myself but it will be nice to take on a professional boxer, one with a big name, a tonne of credibility.
"He's been fighting since he was 10, 11 years old and I've only been doing this for three years.
"It's another stepping stone because I want to become world champion. I want to and I will. I'm capable of it and no one's believed in me.
"When I said that four fights ago people laughed, they don't want to believe that's possible because of my background.
"But I believe anything is possible if you set your mind to it and dedicate your whole entire life and have a little bit of natural talent, which I happen to have."
Novak Djokovic "emotionally collapsed" after winning his 10th Australian Open title, before declaring: "I don't want to stop here."
The irrepressible Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) on Rod Laver Arena to match Rafael Nadal's record tally of 22 men's singles grand slam triumphs.
Djokovic's victory on Sunday also puts him back at the top of the world rankings, a year after he was unable to defend his title at Melbourne Park after being deported due to his vaccination status.
The 35-year-old from Serbia was also prevented from playing in the US Open last September because of his refusal to take a coronavirus vaccine, but he has made a dream start to 2023.
He was crowned champion of Adelaide International 1 before extending his Australian Open winning streak to 28 matches, with his last defeat in the first major of the year coming at the hands of Hyeon Chung in the fourth round back in 2018.
While in Melbourne this time, Djokovic had to contend with questions about his father, Srdjan, posing with a group of men waving Russian flags that were banned from the grounds during the tournament.
His father did not attend his son's semi-final win over Tommy Paul or the final, but the legendary Belgrade native was able to embrace mother Dijana after defeating Tsitsipas.
Djokovic, who was struggling with a hamstring injury in the first week of the tournament, was in floods of tears and dropped to the floor in his box after being mobbed by his team following what he described as "the biggest victory of my life" in his on-court interview.
He said: "When I went into my box, I just think I emotionally collapsed there and teared up with especially my mother and my brother, when I gave them a hug, because up to that moment I was not allowing myself to be distracted with things off the court or whatever was happening in dealing with an injury. Things happening off the court, as well, that could easily have been a big disturbance to my focus, to my game.
"It required an enormous mental energy really to stay present, to stay focused, to take things day by day, and really see how far I can go.
"If I turn back the time two and a half weeks ago, I wasn't really liking my chance in this tournament with the way I felt with my leg. Then it was just a matter of survival of every single match, trying to take it to the next round.
"The good thing about the grand slam here is that you have a day between the matches, so it allowed me to have more time than normally on some other tournaments to recover, to try to do all the treatments in order to get myself in somewhat of a good state and condition to play and eventually win.
"From fourth round onwards, I feel the leg was not bothering me as much. I felt my movement was much better. I played some of my best tennis in the Australian Open. The fourth round, quarter-final, semi-finals, just really comfortable on the court, hitting the ball great. I knew that against Stefanos, it's going to be different match than what I had throughout the entire tournament."
Djokovic added: "It was a huge relief and release of the emotions in the end. Just difficult to find any additional words really. It's been a long journey, but a very special one."
He will head to the French Open in May eyeing major number 23 and is eager to better the great Margaret Court's haul of 24.
"Of course I am motivated to win as many slams as possible," Djokovic said. "At this stage of my career, these trophies are the biggest motivational factor of why I still compete. That's the case without a doubt.
"I never really liked comparing myself to others, but of course it's a privilege to be part of the discussion as one of the greatest players of all time. If people see me this way, of course it's very flattering because I know that I give as much effort and energy into trying to win slams as anybody else.
"I still have lots of motivation. Let's see how far it takes me. I really don't want to stop here. I don't have intention to stop here. I feel great about my tennis. I know that when I'm feeling good physically, mentally present, I have a chance to win any slam against anybody.
"I like my chances going forward. But, again, nothing is given or nothing is for granted. Of course, I have awareness there's a lot of players that want this trophy or want the number one position in the world.
"I don't know how many more years I'm going to play or how many more slams I'm going to play. It depends on various things. It doesn't depend only on my body.
"It's extremely important for me to have the support and love from the close ones, and ability to go and play and keep the balance with the private life, but at the same time have the mental clarity or aspirations to really strive to chase these trophies.
"Physically I can keep myself fit. Of course, 35 is not 25, even though I want to believe it is. But I still feel there is time ahead of me. Let's see how far I go."
Goran Ivanisevic says Novak Djokovic is from "other space" and revealed he took "77 therapies a day" on a hamstring injury to ensure he could win a record-extending 10th Australian Open title.
Serbian great Djokovic moved level with Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slam titles, a record for male players, by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) on Rod Laver Arena in Sunday's final.
Djokovic was able to go all the way at Melbourne Park despite suffering from a hamstring problem that troubled him particularly during the first week.
The 35-year-old moved back to the top of the rankings with his latest major triumph and Ivanisevic, his coach, felt it was impressive that he was able to play, let alone win the title.
"Let me put it like this. I don't say 100 per cent, but 97 per cent of the players, on Saturday when you get results of the MRI, you go straight to the referee's office and pull out of the tournament," the Croatian said.
"But not him. He is from other space. His brain is working different. I [have been] with him [for] four years, but it still sometimes [amazes me] how his brain works.
"He gave everything, 77 therapies a day. Every day was kind of better and better. I didn't expect this. Honestly, I was shocked. First two rounds [were] okay, but then against [Grigor] Dimitrov [I] was very scared.
"But he got through and in the end he won the tournament."
Djokovic also became the third-oldest player in the Open Era to win the Australian Open, younger only than Ken Rosewall (in 1972 and 1971) and Roger Federer (2018).
Ivanisevic was also asked by reporters how much longer he believes Djokovic can continue to take on all comers at the highest level.
"Definitely two, three more years. The way he's taking care of his body, the way he approaches everything, the food, it's amazing. It's unbelievable the level," he said.
"We are talking about young guys. They're here, it's great for tennis, great for the future of tennis.
"But you still have these two guys [Djokovic and Nadal] battling. This was Novak's home court, and now we are going to Rafa's home court [the French Open] in this handball match of 22-22.
"Yes, [young players] are coming, [Carlos] Alcaraz, unbelievable. Still, if Rafa steps on the court on the French Open, for me, he's always the favourite to win the tournament... [Djokovic and Nadal] really push each other.
"It's good that we have a lot of young guys. We have Stefanos who is going to win a grand slam definitely one day because he's just an amazing player."
Rory McIlroy produced the best round of the day as his 65 took him three shots clear of the rest heading into the final round at the Dubai Desert Classic.
The world number one had not been pleased with his second round as he started Sunday tied for seventh – level with Patrick Reed after their spat earlier in the week – on eight under.
McIlroy excelled in his third round though, starting with four consecutive birdies before producing another four in five of his final six holes.
A bogey on the 18th was the only negative from an otherwise productive day as McIlroy ended on seven under par for the round, and 15 under overall.
"It would be great. I love this golf course. I love this tournament. I've won here a couple of times," the Northern Irishman said after his round.
"This is my first start of the year. I don't think I've ever won in my first start of the year – I had plenty of chances at Abu Dhabi down the road over the years, and never quite got it done.
"So tomorrow is a nice opportunity to try to do something that I've never done before."
English pair Callum Shinkwin and Dan Bradbury are tied for second on 12 under, going round in 67 and 68 respectively.
Reed is among seven players tied for fourth on 11 under after his 69, joining the likes of Ian Poulter, Victor Perez and Adri Arnaus.
After a promising first two rounds, Thomas Pieters could only record a par-score of 72 to end Sunday tied for 11th on 10 under, while Tommy Fleetwood dropped to a tie for 38th on six under after also going round in 72.
Stefanos Tsitsipas paid tribute to Novak Djokovic after losing to the Serbian in Sunday's Australian Open final, lauding him as the "greatest that ever held a tennis racquet".
Djokovic was at his dominant best as he drew level with Rafael Nadal on 22 men's grand slam singles titles thanks to a straight-sets win over Tsitsipas at Melbourne Park.
The 35-year-old won 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) at Rod Laver Arena to make it 10 wins from as many Australian Open finals.
Djokovic was barred from defending his own crown last year when deported from Australia due to his COVID-19 vaccination status, but he returned with a vengeance in 2023, dropping just one set across seven matches as he also reclaimed the world number one spot.
But most importantly it put him level again with Nadal in terms of major titles after the Spaniard won in Melbourne and Roland Garros last year.
Despite this parity, Tsitsipas has no doubt who he believes is the best to ever play the sport.
"Novak, I don't know what to say. It speaks for itself what you have achieved so far," said the 24-year-old, whose wait for a maiden grand slam title continues. "It's all in the numbers.
"Congratulations, not only to yourself but having such a supportive family. I think it is very similar the way we grew up around tennis, so it's been an unbelievable journey for you.
"I admire what you've done for our sport, and I think you make me a better player when are on court.
"I have had the privilege to play a lot of difficult and high intensity matches, but I would like to say one more time Novak brings out the best in me.
"He's one of the greatest in our sport, and he's the greatest that has ever held a tennis racquet, for sure.
"I'd like to thank you for pushing our sport so far. I think it deserves a player like you who pushes every single player that's involved in the sport to the max."
Tsitsipas, who was bidding to become the 27th male singles champion at the Australian Open, had his moments as he forced set point in the second and broke Djokovic at the start of the third.
But Djokovic's famed powers of recovery were as strong as ever, and Tsitsipas – beaten by the same opponent in the 2021 French Open final – quickly turned his attention back to the daily grind.
"It's not easy, another final at a grand slam, but I am always willing to go back on court and work harder," he continued. "I would like to thank my team for coming on this journey with me.
"I am happy I have group of supportive people around me, people who wake up every single day and have the same goals and ambitions as me. I'm extremely privileged that I get to do this for a living."
Novak Djokovic described his latest Australian Open triumph as "probably the biggest victory of my life" as he put last year's adversity behind him to win the title for a 10th time.
The Serbian defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday to draw level with Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slam crowns – a joint-record for male players.
Djokovic dropped just one set across his seven matches in a dominant display down under, coming a year on from being deported from the country ahead of the 2022 edition.
He was denied the opportunity to defend his title following a row over his COVID-19 vaccination status, which also saw him banned from entering the country until 2025.
However, he had his visa ban overturned in November and made up for lost time, with his straight-sets win against Tsitsipas also seeing him regain the world number one spot.
Djokovic broke down in tears after sealing victory in a little under three hours and then gave an emotional speech in his on-court interview.
"This has been one of the most challenging tournaments I have ever played in my life considering the circumstances, not playing last year, coming back this year," he said.
"I want to thank all the people who made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable to be in Melbourne and to be in Australia.
"There is a reason why I have played my best tennis throughout my career in this arena. I try to pinch myself and really live through these moments.
"It's a long journey. Only the team and the family knows what we have been through in the last four or five weeks.
"I would say this is probably the biggest victory of my life, considering those circumstances. Thank you so much – and hopefully see you next year."
Djokovic landed his first Australian Open title 15 years ago and has now won 28 matches in a row at his favourite tournament.
At 35 years, he is the third-oldest male in the Open Era to win the Australian Open singles title after Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer, another of his long-time rivals.
Tsitsipas labelled his opponent as the greatest of all time after the match, and Djokovic also had some kind words to share as he backed the Greek to challenge in more majors.
"Thanks so much for being so kind and respectful," Djokovic said. "On the court we are fierce competitors, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't respect each other.
"I congratulate you on an amazing tournament. Tough luck tonight. This will not be your last grand slam final, you have a lot of time.
"You are one of the most professional players I know on the tour, and one of the most interesting."
Djokovic, whose 93 ATP titles is the fourth most of any male in the Open Era, added: "I'd like to finish off by commenting something on Greece and Serbia.
"We are two relatively small countries that don't really have a tennis tradition. We didn't really have players to look up to.
"I think the message for any young tennis player around the world watching this now, dreaming to be where we are now, dream big. Anything is possible.
"Don't let anyone take away the dream. It doesn't matter where you're coming from. I think the more disadvantaged a childhood you have, the stronger you become.
"We are the proof of that. Don't let anybody take that dream away from you. Water it like you would water the flowers.
"Even if you can only find one person in the world that supports you, dream big and you can make it."
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