It will also be the first time two brothers have played the singles and doubles finals at the same Grand Slam after Jamie Murray reached the men’s doubles final with his Brazilian partner Bruno Soares.
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Andy Murray showed Jamie Murray a little brotherly love early Sunday morning, even if he had a singles final to play against Novak Djokovic about 18 hours later.
The seventh seeds bounced back from a set down to beat Czech veteran Radek Stepanek and Canadian Daniel Nestor 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena.
Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will lock horns again in Sunday’s showpiece.
“I have a very good shot if I play my best tennis”, he said.
“If you’re number two in the world and are as stubborn, massively determined and as fit as Andy is then you don’t walk out there thinking, “I will lose this one”.
The British number one has not made more finals of any Grand Slam event than the five he has reached in Melbourne, compared favourably to two in the US Open and Wimbledon.
“People like to read into what’s happened in the past, but Stan Wawrinka beat Rafa Nadal in the 2015 final here and I don’t think he’d won against him in 13 attempts”.
Murray, who was involved in a marathon five-setter against Milos Raonic in the semis, goes into the match as the underdog.
This will be the 31st meeting between the pair in a rivalry that goes back to their junior days.
Raonic added: “I’m happy with where my tennis is at, I just wish I could play… tennis”.
Sometimes a change is as good as a rest and Murray and Soares have joined forces to great effect, winning in Sydney the week before Melbourne and picking up the big one here in Melbourne.
Murray showed a fine all-around game in outlasting Raonic, but he was not at his best when it came to his serve or hitting winners throughout the match.
Djokovic holds a 6-2 win-loss record against the Scot in Slams and a 3-2 advantage in major finals. In the French Open semi-finals [in 2015] in the third and fourth sets he blew Novak off the court.
Djokovic said: ‘It’s a possibility for me to make history, which is of course another great imperative for me for tomorrow’s match.
Angelique Kerber’s upset victory over Serena Williams in the Australian Open final on Saturday is expected to see her move from sixth to second on the WTA Tour rankings.
“If you want to win Grand Slam titles and be the best in the world, you have to win against the best players in the world”.
Djokovic earned his spot in the finals when he defeated long-time rival Roger Federer in four sets in the other semifinal.
The evenness of the match continued in the third set, as at various points the set was tied at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, and finally, at 6-6. “I blinked my eye and I was down 1-5”, Williams said.
Asked in his post-match interview whether he was ready to become a dad, Andy replied: “I mean, I hope so”.
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“With the way I’ve sort of started off this year after the difficulties I had, whatever it was, three months ago, not finishing the year, many other aspects, not knowing where I stood, this was the most ideal way to start”.
