But the Serbian's woes are now well behind him and his 6-3 7-6(4) 7-6(5) victory over Tsitsipas was met with thunderous applause from a packed crowd at Rod Laver Arena.
"I have to say that this has been one of the most challenging tournaments I have played in my life, considering the circumstances," Djokovic said in his on-court interview.
This, probably, is the biggest victory in my life considering the circumstances."
This is definitely not your last Grand Slam, you still have a lot of time, much more than me," Djokovic said.
Tsitsipas, who fell short of becoming the first Greek tennis player to win a Grand Slam, commended Djokovic's contribution to the sport.