By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, January 31, 2016

 

Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray to capture his record-tying sixth Australian Open title and 11th Grand Slam championship overall.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Prescient court positioning put Novak Djokovic in the right spot as the ball landed. Bold creativity empowered Djokovic to drive his reply right to the very edge.

The world No. 1 bended a backhand around the net post and down the line for a blistering winner that left a stupefied Andy Murray shaking his head in the second set.

Even when Murray seemed to shrink the gap, Djokovic had an authoritative answer to deepen the divide.

A commanding Djokovic defeated Murray, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3), to capture his sixth Australian Open championship, equal Roy Emerson's record for most Melbourne majors and put himself a world apart from the rest of the pack pursuing him.

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It is Djokovic's 11th career Grand Slam crown, equaling Rod Laver, who was in the crowd, and Bjorn Borg for fifth on the all-time list just one major title behind Emerson.

A thoughtful Djokovic paid tribute to the legends, his support team and the fans in a gracious victory speech.

"I'm extremely honored to be mentioned alongside legends of our sport," said Djokovic, who has won 15 of his last 16 meetings with Murray, raising his record to 22-9 against his former junior rival. "Like Rod Laver, who is present tonight...Mr. Roy Emerson, who is not with us tonight, but we miss you Roy, it's a great privilege to match the record of one of the greatest players to ever play this game. I want to send him all my best."

Collecting his third straight Grand Slam title, Djokovic has taken his dynamic game to places his rivals can only regard with awe. Djokovic rampaged past seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori, third-seeded Roger Federer and Murray in succession to raise his Australian Open record to 6-0 and solidify his status among the sport's iconic champions.

This match was a rematch of the 2015 final and Djokovic picked up right were he left off with crushing continuity.

Djokovic drained Murray's legs and self-belief winning nine consecutive games in closing a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0 triumph in the 2015 final.

Striking with conviction at the start of his 17th straight final, Djokovic burst out of the blocks on a 5-0 tear, shredding the world No. 2 in the process.



Second-serve shortcomings stung Murray at the start. After failing to convert break point in the opening game, he double-faulted into net giving Djokovic the break and a 2-0 lead. The champion quickly consolidated at love for 3-0.

The man in black could not stall Djokovic's swarming baseline onslaught. Murray ballooned a forehand to drop serve for the second straight game. When Djokovic buried a backhand winner down the line, he had won 12 of the last 14 points to stamp a 5-0 lead after just 19 minutes of play.

On his third set point, Djokovic drilled a body serve into the hip, seizing a one-set lead after a half hour. It was the fourth time in seven matches, Djokovic opened with a 6-1 set and forced Murray to confront a bleak reality: The Scot was 0-17 when losing the first set to the Serbian in their prior meetings.

Muttering to himself between points, Murray withstood Djokovic's biting return, four break points, a time violation warning from chair umpire Carlos Ramos and a heckler who shouted "take a little more time Murray" navigating an 11-minute adventure of a game to hold for a 2-1 second-set lead.

In prime position for a forehand volley, Murray bumped the shot into the tape. That would have given him a break point, but Djokovic held firm in the sixth game. Unloading a series of heavier shots, Murray could not break down Djokovic's lock-down defense. He sailed a forehand beyond the baseline as Djokovic broke for 4-3.

Undeterred, Murray broke right back then staved off a pair of break points, blasting a 93 mph backhand crosscourt on the second, to hold for 5-4.

Amping up the pace of his groundstrokes, Murray had a 21-8 winner edge through the second set, but he let a 40-0 lead slip in the 11th game. A draining 36 shot slugfest—longest exchange of the match—ended with Murray missing a backhand. Winded from that exchange, the Scot tried to shorten the point by attacking. Djokovic drilled a backhand pass for break point and when Murray's backhand sailed the top seed had the crucial break for 6-5.

Serving for a two-set lead, Djokovic's right arm tightened with successive double faults to gift his opponent break point. Hawk-Eye showed Djokovic's next serve was out, but Murray did not challenge and lost the point. When the second seed slapped a forehand into net, Djokovic had a two-set lead after one hour, 43 minutes.

Expending so much energy and emotion during that 73-minute second set left Murray reeling at the start of the third.

The top seed threaded the needle with an exceptional running backhand down the line that singed the sideline. That shot gave Djokovic his third break in the Scot's last four service games for a 1-0 third-set lead. Djokovic dodged a break point holding for 3-1.

Continuing to claw in rallies—and vent muttered frustrations to his box between points—Murray thumped a smash then drew a backhand error breaking for 3-all.

The tie break was totally devoid of drama. Murray opened with a double fault, Djokovic banged an ace then exploited another double fault extending his lead to 5-1. Murray saved two championship points. On his third championship point, Djokovic slid his seventh ace, closing a declarative statement with an exclamation point and a clenched fist toward his box.