Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 on Sunday to win a record fifth Australian Open title in the professional era and consign the Scot to further grand slam pain.
The opening two sets saw a very competitive duel but after taking a 2-0 lead in the third set, Murray crumbled under the Serb’s pressure to lose 12 of the last 13 games as Djokovic closed out an emphatic win at the Rod Laver Arena.
Top seed Djokovic sealed the victory on the second match-point, rushing to the net with a searing approach shot that Murray could only dump into the net.
The steely-eyed Serb roared in triumph and went to his player’s box to share the win with his team before tearing off his shirt and throwing it into the crowd.
“Tough luck tonight. You are a great competitor,” Djokovic, clasping the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, said to Murray at the trophy ceremony.
“You fight a lot, and I want to congratulate your team and wish you all the best in the rest of the season. I will also congratulate you and Kim on your engagement, and I wish you a wonderful wedding.”
The loss continued Murray’s heartbreak, where he has now lost four major finals, including three to his friend and fellow 27-year-old Djokovic.
“I would like congratulate Novak on his fifth Australian Open,” Murray said. “Fantastic, and incredible record, and thoroughly deserved.
“I will try to come back next year, and hopefully have a slightly different outcome in the final.”
Australian Open Supremacy
Djokovic has now won four out of the last five trophies at Melbourne Park, after winning a hat-trick from 2011-13 and his first grand slam title in Australia in 2008.
The only man to win more Australian titles than Djokovic is Roy Emerson, who won six in the 1960s when the grand slams were restricted to amateur players and the Australian Open was played on grass at different cities all over the country.
In 2011, Djokovic won his second Australian Open, first Wimbledon and first U.S. Open titles. He won the Australian Open again in 2012 and 2013 then a second Wimbledon in 2014.
Sunday’s win gave him his eighth career grand slam singles title, lifting him alongside Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi and Fred Perry.
Only seven players have won more, headed by Roger Federer with 17 and Rafael Nadal on 14, who is tied with Pete Sampras.
