Djokovic Down Under – Shot Of The Month – January 2022
‘Shot of the Month’ is brought to you by Sport Industry Awards partner Shutterstock. In this ongoing image-led series, we turn the spotlight on those behind the lens. Telling the story of the standout photos that grace newspapers, magazines and digital screens around the world from the photographer’s point of view.
Ella Ling, Shutterstock Sports Photographer
Tennis is a personal and professional passion of mine, and it is safe to say it is one of my favourite sports to photograph. Having played tennis for the majority of my life, I may have a deeper knowledge of the game than my peers. I can predict a player’s next move and react quickly to capture it. This is important in all sports, but specifically in tennis as a rally can go by so quickly!
The Australian Open is a tournament I look forward to every year. It is a great way to kick off the season and this year’s final was no exception. Heading into the stadium on that day, we all knew it was going to be an exciting match and the atmosphere in the crowd reflected this.
Novak Djokovic has not lost at Melbourne Park since 2018, which meant that he has a streak of 28 matches unbeaten in the men’s singles. And although his opponent, Stefanos Tsitsipas, is 11 years younger, Djokovic still dominated the game, only dropping one set the entire tournament. All with a 3cm hamstring tear! This tournament really displayed why Djokovic is still one of the world’s best.
