Novak Djokovic has been crowned the Australian Open champion for a record-equalling sixth time thanks to a 6-1 7-5 7-6(3) victory over Andy Murray in Melbourne on Sunday.
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Djokovic has now won a record-equalling six times in Melbourne to draw level with Roy Emerson and he boasts 11 major titles overall, climbing to joint-fifth on the all-time list alongside Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.
This was perhaps the less riveting of the pair’s four Australian Open finals, with neither of the two 28-year-olds at their best.
“It’s been a tough few weeks for me away from the court”, Murray said, before turning his attention to his wife.
“And to my wife Kim, I’m sure she’s going to be watching back home just now”.
Ivan Lendl, his former coach, lost five finals at the US Open before winning at Flushing Meadows from 1985-1987.
A stunning Djokovic backhand pass down the line – nearly around the net – saw him break to start the third and seemingly all but end the contest.
“If I do, the person becomes too arrogant and thinks that he’s a higher being or better than everybody else, you can get a big slap from karma very soon”. Nevertheless, the second and third sets produced the sort of tennis we have grown accustomed to seeing from these two great rivals: pulsating rallies from the back of the court, great athleticism as big shots were repeatedly chased down and games decided by the tiniest of margins.
Murray earlier cursed himself for “the worst match I’ve ever played” while being swept aside in two hours and 53 minutes.
Murray was inexplicably broken from 40-0 up in the 11th game, but three costly mistakes enabled Djokovic to close out the set.
His defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the final of last year’s French Open his only loss in Grand Slam play in the last 16 months.
And for two sets Murray was very good against him. Djokovic faced a break point in his opening service game but then went on a blazing run, breaking Murray’s serve twice to claim the opening set in 30 minutes. “I’ve had the fortune to win this trophy now for six times, but I never experienced such support”, said Djokovic, acknowledging the hundreds of Serbians who chanted, sang and waved their red, white and blue flags as he conducted post-match interviews.
Djokovic started the tournament with some difficulties and took some time to settle.
“I’m proud of the way I fought and managed to get myself back into the match”.
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Djokovic last year had a better record than Serena Williams, but the American sucked all the air out of the room with her quest for a calendar-year Grand Slam, raking in numerous Athlete of the Year accolades. But that was it…I was starting to have quite a lot of opportunities in the second. “As much as I would like to be a robot, I’m not. I had goosebumps when I was playing on the court”. “But that’s what you expect”.
