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Novak Djokovic has won his fifth title at the Australian Open with a 7-6 6-7 6-3 6-0 win over Andy Murray on Rod Laver Arena last night.
In a historic win for the world number one Djokovic became the first man in the modern era to win 5 Australian Open titles.
He also continued his impressive record in Australian Open finals. In five final matches he has won them all.
The opening two sets of the match were exceptional from both players. In two and a half hours of tennis, both players gave everything they had, as they each blasted the ball in plenty of rallies at the baseline.
Both sets went to tiebreakers, despite both sets having 4 breaks of serve in each set.
In the first set, Djokovic raced to a 4-1 lead, before being broken back by Murray twice in the set.
The set went to a tiebreaker and Murray raced to a 4-2 lead by winning a mini-break.
Djokovic, who seemingly looked out of the tiebreaker, came back to win five of the last six points and the set.
In the second set, Murray would get a good start, and win the early break.
This time though, Djokovic would fight back, and force the second set to a tiebreaker.
Murray would race to a lead in the tiebreaker again, and not relinquish it this time.
After racing to a 4-1 lead, he would set up four set points, to level the match at one set all.
On the third set point, Murray would win, and level up the match.
He would then use the momentum of the second set win, to race to a 2-0 lead, in the third set.
At this stage, Djokovic looked fatigued, and started to limp around the court.
What followed after Murray led 2-0 was unbelievable.
Djokovic would break back immediately in the third game of the set and run away with the contest.
He would win 12 of the last 13 games of the match as the fatigue went away from Djokovic and went into Murray’s game.
The Scot also mentally faded away as Djokovic hit winner after winner in the last two sets.
The last set was won in a bagel by Djokovic as he powered his way to victory.
He would win 36 of the last 49 points in the match to win the title and consign Murray to a 4th Australian Open final defeat.
After the match Djokovic described what happened to him between sets two and three.
“Very similar match to the Australian Open final in 2013 when we played over two hours the first two sets. Tonight two and a half hours the first two sets. Very physical. Very exhausting. We both of course went through some tough moments physically. You could see that I had a crisis end of the second, beginning of the third. Just felt very exhausted and I needed some time to regroup and recharge and get back on track.”
“Just glad that I believed it all the way through. Saved some breakpoints at 3-All in the third set and managed to make that break and win the third. After that I felt huge relief. I felt I could swing through the ball. I felt the momentum was on my side and I wanted to use that. At this level very few points can turn things around on the court as we could see tonight.”
Djokovic later added that his 5th Australian Open title was a special one for him.
“I think it has deeper meaning, more intrinsic value now to my life because I’m a father and a husband. It’s the first Grand Slam title I won as a father and a husband. Just feel very, very proud of it.”
For two and a half hours of tennis, both players For the third time in the history of the Australian Open Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will face off in the final on Rod Laver Arena tonight. Join The Roar for a live blog of the men’s final at the Australian Open from around 7:30pm AEDT.
Tonight is a historic night for both players. Never in the history of the Australian Open have the same two players contested three different finals at the Open.
Many players, over the history of the Open, have battled each other twice but none have had three contests in the final. Murray and Djokovic will be first to play in three finals.
For Murray, he will be looking to exact revenge for the first two meetings between the two. In 2011, Djokovic won the first contest in straight sets, for his second Australian Open title.
Two years later, in 2013, Djokovic would win his fourth Australian Open title with a four set win over the Scotsman.
It hasn’t been all bad news for the British number 1 in Grand Slam finals against Djokovic.
Overall, at all four Grand Slams, they have faced each other four times with both players winning twice.
At the 2012 US Open, and the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, Murray would win to secure his first and second Grand Slam title.
His only problem has been in Australia against Djokovic. He has not beaten him in Australia in three meetings and he has also not won a men’s final in three attempts – two with Djokovic and once against Federer.
It will be interesting to see how that mentality affects him tonight.
For both players fitness won’t be an issue tonight. Up until the semi-finals both players had not lost a set in the tournament. In the semis this changed.
Murray was pushed to four sets by Berdych. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Murray responded and lifted to another level, to win the next three sets and the contest.
For Djokovic he had another classic match with Stanislas Wawrinka. For the third time, in three straight years, these two players played a five set match at the Australian Open.
This time Djokovic won the battle, in a see-sawing contest.
After Wawrinka won the fourth set, to send the match into a deciding set, Djokovic took control of the match.
He won the final set in a bagel to progress to the final.
A win by Djokovic tonight would be his fifth at the Australian Open. He would move to outright second in most titles won and would also claim the record of the most wins in the modern era.
Djokovic would pass Andre Agassi and Roger Federer who also won four times in the modern era.
This contest looks to be decided between the attack of Djokovic and the defence of Murray.
Murray’s turning of defence into attack is one of the best in the game. If someone was better than him at that, it would be Djokovic.
That will be the focus of the match.
Which player can do that the best tonight, will win the match.
The serve will also be vital for both players. In a match where no player will give an inch, a poor service game from one, or the other, could give their opponent an advantage.
Murray served well against Berdych, and matched the power game of him, for the last three sets. He needs to do that tonight against Djokovic.
This promises to be a fantastic match with both players right in contention to win. Picking who will win though is a tough proposition.
Murray has impressed over the last two weeks and has played his best tournament since having back surgery at the end of 2013.
Djokovic, on the other hand, is the best player in the world. He has shown that over the last two weeks by not giving an inch to his opponents.
His record at these events is also extremely good. As a result I predict Djokovic to win his fifth Australian Open title.
He knows how to win here and that will count when the match gets tight. Murray will win sets but will lose the match in four or five sets.
Prediction: Djokovic 3-2
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