Still the King! Novak Djokovic outlasts Dominic Thiem in epic Australian Open final

Novak Djokovic has secured an eighth Australian Open crown and a 17th Grand Slam title – and this might be his most famous.

The Serbian champion fought off a stunning performance from world no.5 Dominic Thiem, coming back from 2 sets to 1 down to claim the trophy again after exactly 4 hours of pulsating tennis, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

Despite winning the first set, it was an uncharacteristically grumpy Djokovic for much of the early stages of the match, especially as Thiem began to take control in the second set.

After furiously telling a vocal pro-Thiem crowd to “shut the f*** up” after a fan yelled out mid-point in the first set, Djokovic’s temper boiled over in the second, when a time violation for taking too long to serve on break point gave the Austrian the opening he needed.

“You made yourself famous, nice work,” Djokovic told the chair umpire, after sarcastically patting his foot – a gesture which could see him fined up to $20,000.

When Thiem duly broke Djokovic twice more early in the third set to storm to a 2 sets to one lead, the Serbian looked all but gone, and a medical time out before the fourth set seemed to confirm the world no.2 was running out of answers.

But he’s not a champion for nothing, Djokovic fighting back to claim the fourth set, 6-4 – and an early break in the fifth set as Thiem’s forehand began to let him down was all the edge he needed.

The epic win also sees Djokovic return to the world No.1 ranking, ousting longtime rival Rafael Nadal, while he also moves ever closer to Roger Federer’s record 20 Grand Slam crowns.