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Novak Djokovic lifts the title in Australia

This is it: the men’s finals day in Australia between world number one Novak Djokovic and world number six and former world number two Andy Murray. My favourite grand slam is almost over, and what a way to round off the tournament.

Murray, two time grand slam champion and Olympic Gold medalist, has reached the final in Australia three times in the last four years. Djokovic, winner in Australia four times in his career, will look to beat friend Murray for the fifth time in a row and for the fourth consecutive time in Australia. A 14-8 head-to-head in favour of the Serb makes him the favourite with the bookmakers priced at 2/5 and 2/1 respectively, as the players step into the Rod Laver Arena. The pair acknowledge the crowd and prepare themselves, before playing the first point.

Here we go, we’re underway and it’s Djokovic to serve first, both players’ camps packed to the rafters in support for their men.

Novak, wearing a light blue top with white shorts, begins the match by holding serve. Murray, all in black, holds himself, with the aid of hawkeye. Murray steps up his game early on and gives himself three break point opportunities, two come and go, and a gruelling 27 shot rally which Djokovic wins at the net saves two of them before an unreturned serve gets Djokovic back to deuce. He holds, a real missed opportunity you feel for Murray to get ahead in the match and give a physiological boost: 2-1. Novak again comes forward to the net; it is early days yet Novak is on the front foot, his aggressive approach paying dividends.

Murray this time digs himself a hole, hitting a poor drop shot, allows Djokovic to pounce for 0-30. A scintillating forehand winner down the line gives Novak three break points and the break is his as he hits a winner crosscourt which Murray can only stand and admire: 3-1. A positive start for the Serb but not ideal for the Scot having passed up three break points in the game prior. 23 minutes in and Novak is 4-1 up, accelerating away from his opponent, Murray is playing well but finds himself behind, needing to weather the storm as much as possible.

Murray, who will move back into the top four regardless of today’s result, breaks back immediately; a few unforced errors off the racket of the Serb resulting in Murray breaking for 4-3; a great response from Andy. Djokovic slips, supposedly the most slipped player on the tour: whoever comes up with these stats is a genius. Murray fends off one break point before a long forehand confirmed via hawkeye gives Novak a second opportunity to break. He takes the opportunity as Andy goes long, and Djokovic will serve for the opening set, having achieved three breaks in a row. Just as you think another break is almost impossible, it happens as Novak goes long and Murray breaks for 5-4 to the delight of Mauresmo, Murray’s coach.

The first twelve games are shared despite the two breaks apiece and we go to a tie-break, unsurprisingly, to settle the first set. A double fault hands Murray the early advantage, Novak’s first of the match. Murray wins the next point but them misses a forehand topspin lob and it’s back on serve, 1-2. A cagey point sees Novak spray his forehand long, the tension is unbearable for me let alone the players, Murray up 4-2 in the breaker at the change of ends. A horrendous double fault from Murray at a crucial time, followed by a slack forehand into the middle of the net and it’s back on serve at 4-4. A forehand drive volley from the world number six levels at 5-5, making the shot look easy. A poor volley which should have been put away from Andy as he finds himself set point down; such a disappointment. He should be set point up, not down, as he goes on to lose the first set. Djokovic, with a deep second serve, forces Murray to hit his return into the net. Boris Becker is ecstatic on the side-lines as Murray gives himself a stern talking to at the change of ends.

The talking to seems to do the trick as Murray breaks in the second game of the second set before, remarkably, Djokovic breaks back yet again; as soon as one player breaks, the opponent breaks straight back, showing how good the return of serve has been so far.  Good hands from Nole as he holds serve for 2-2, the standard dropping a little after a magnificent first set. A 24-shot rally sees Djokovic the victor as Murray lets out an angry scream of frustration, Djokovic taking the initiative. With a precise overhead, he breaks again and is 3-2 up.

Murray breaks back and is all of a sudden 5-4 up; he gets his first set point of the match but agonisingly hits the net. Three further holds and it is yet another tiebreak to settle the set, a must win you feel for Murray, with both players playing to the best of their ability. Andy starts with an ace, to the disgust of Novak who feels the serve was a let.  A precision serve down the T and a backhand error from Nole sees Murray race to a 4-1 lead, Murray with the emphasis on his ground strokes as they fly through the vibrant blue court. With the score at 5-2, Novak again goes long and Murray will have four set points for one set all. A little lapse in concentration sees Murray spray a simple forehand long but the set is his seven points to four when an inspired piece of returning flies past the Serbian as he approaches the net.

A ridiculous pick up from Djokovic comes to nothing as Murray hits a drop shot before hitting the winner into the open court, causing misery for the Serb. Novak, off balance, hits a winner but incredible defence from Andy sees him go 15-40 up. Murray wins the game and is a break up in the third. Novak is in trouble, his grunts getting louder and louder by the minute. Djokovic looks exhausted. Perhaps his five set marathon with Wawrinka is taking its toll.

Time and time again Novak looks beaten but somehow recovers and comes up with some tennis magic, three games in a row and now he is 3-2 up. As the clock strikes three hours, we are still no nearer to knowing who will lift the trophy, and the work rate from both athletes is incredible. Novak from looking down and out now looks fit and healthy again and has stopped feeling sorry for himself. He breaks the Murray serve and holds his own to go two sets to one up; a bad passage of play from Murray after a promising start to the third set. 7-6, 6-7 6-3.

The fourth and sadly final set is a whitewash, 6-0 to Djokovic, a miraculous recovery having looked beaten not long ago. A 29 minute bagel set for Novak as he wins here in Australia, the tournament is over and what a tournament it has been. The world number one wins his eighth grand slam title at 27 years old, an unbelievable achievement and worthy of his number one seed.

Huge congratulations to Djokovic for a fantastic tournament and display in the final as he lifts the trophy above his head with a huge smile on his face. Congratulations to all the winners of the tournaments throughout the fortnight for endless entertainment. Murray will be understandably disappointed not to have won, but an Australian Open title surely isn’t far away.

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