Sinner, Sabalenka and more majors for Djokovic: Robbie Koenig puts a final stamp on the Australian Open

Tennis fans know Robbie Koenig is a true original. It’s not a stretch to say that his voice is iconic. The broadcaster has provided the soundtrack for some of the most remarkable moments in the game’s history, and if the most recent fortnight in Australia is any indication, the South African still is at the top of his game in the booth.

But Koenig is also a very articulate and studious member of the tennis community, one who is never afraid to share his opinion on the topic at hand. He joined the Inside-In Podcast to recap the 2024 Australian Open, providing a post-script to a tournament that crammed as much energy and life into a two-week period as it possibly could.

Koenig got to witness a seismic breakthrough in real time, as Jannik Sinner realized his dreams and became a major champion in Melbourne. It takes seven consecutive wins to claim the Australian Open trophy, but the commentator pointed out astutely how much longer that journey really is. Sinner attacked his goals with a tremendous level of focus and dedication, while prioritizing his overall skillset first and foremost. So when he beat 10-time champion Novak Djokovic and fellow major champion Daniil Medvedev in succession to claim the crown, it served as a culmination of a road much longer than a fortnight Down Under.

“A young kid who believes so much in the process and is always looking to get better, always add to his game. Even at the expense of losing,” Koenig stated in summarizing exactly who Sinner is and what he stands for.

“I can’t applaud the guy enough. What an amazing young man. And just when we were worried about whether tennis would be in good hands in the post-Big 3 era, we couldn’t ask for a better ambassador.”

The flip side to joy is pain, and Koenig dove into the agony that world No. 1 Novak Djokovic found himself in during a loss to the eventual champion in the semifinals. It was a bad day at the office for Djokovic no matter how you slice it, which Koenig was quick to point out. Sinner deserves all the credit in the world for moving the immovable force, but this was nowhere near the Serbian’s best level. And at age 36, it’s perfectly reasonable to wonder if these subpar performances will occur more regularly going forward.

“I’m not sure he was playing that well the whole tournament, let alone just that match,” Koenig explained, before stating his official position on whether Djokovic is done winning big tournaments. “I’m not going to write that guy off, no chance. I mean, the guy won four of the five biggest tournaments last year.

His final remaks on the matter? “I’m picking Novak for at least two majors this year.”

Koenig offered his analysis of the women’s champion as well, heaping praise on Aryna Sabalenka’s masterclass run to defend the title she won a year ago. But it wasn't only the win, abd the flawless tennis over seven matches, that caught Koenig’s eye. He loved the fact that Sabalenka has taken full accountability for her tennis, both the good and the bad.

Two years ago, her coach thought it was the end of their tenure, but Sabalenka refused. She took the blame for her poor results, which Koenig firmly believes in the reason why she’s been able to unlock this great level we are all witnessing now.

“We see players always blaming somebody else instead of taking that responsibility upon themselves,” Koenig explained. “She’s figured it out. The serve is as good as it’s ever been. The mentality is as good as it’s ever been. She believes she can win these things.”

As somebody who quite literally grew up in the game, Koenig is well-versed the development side of young players and also had praise for Sinner’s beautiful post-match speech after winning the Australian Open, in which he thanked his parents for letting him choose his own path at age 14.

Koenig loved the moment of humility and graciousness shown by the young champion, but he does not agree that this is the path for everyone to excel in high-level tennis.

“I don’t believe that most 14 year olds have that maturity that Jannik has. That have the discipline. And I think for the most part, kids at that age need a bit of a nudge,” Koenig reasoned.

“There’s a lot of coaches out there saying, ‘Listen to what Jannik says.’ You’ve got to be careful, because it’s certainly not the only way. And in my experience, it’s the road that is less traveled.”

Robbie Koenig remains one of the best sports broadcasters in the world, and the fact that the tennis community gets to claim him is a blessing. In this podcast he provides additional commentary to some of the top players and stories that are at the forefront of the pro game. There’s so much more tennis to come, and with Koenig on the mic, the fans are in good hands.