By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, February 2, 2020
Novak Djokovic fought back from two-sets to one down in a major final for the first time out-dueling Dominic Thiem in five sets to claim his eighth Australian Open crown.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Running on resilience, a defiant Novak Djokovic played marathon man to defend Melbourne—and roar back to world No. 1.
The defending champion survived a storm of shot-making from Dominic Thiem and mid-match dizziness fighting back for a 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph in a gripping Australian Open final to capture his 17th career Grand Slam championship.
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The 32-year-old Serbian has taken his game to places opponents can only awe as he continues to close the gap on rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the all-time Grand Slam race. Djokovic now stands within two majors of matching 19-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, whom he surpassed to regain world No. 1, and is three major titles from equaling Federer's all-time mark of 20.
"Congrats to Dominic for an amazing tournament," Djokovic said in his on-court speech. "It wasn't meant to be tonight. You were very close to winning it. You definitely have a lot more time in your career and I'm sure you will get one of the Srand slam trophies and more than one.
"Definitely my favorite court, my favorite stadium in the world. I'm blessed to hold this trophy once again."
It wasn't easy and it wasn't always pretty.
Winless in seven major finals when trailing two sets to one, Djokovic staged a spirited comeback improving his record to a perfect 8-0 in AO finals and creating another Big 3 milestone. Djokovic joins Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova as the third champion to win a Grand Slam singles title in three different decades.
"I definitely did not feel good," Djokovic said of his mid-match struggles. "I didn't know what the next moment brings. I was trying to keep myself alive mentally as well and emotionally because it was disappointing in a way from my side to actually feel this way. I was a bit shocked that I did feel that way because everything was fine before the match.
"For the first two sets, everything was okay. But it's something that you have to accept that you're going through. Those kind of circumstances really kind of force me to let things go and to really try to be in the moment and fight my way back."
Scoring his 14th straight AO victory, Djokovic will return to world No. 1 for the fifth time when the new ATP rankings are released tomorrow marking his 276th week at the top.
Wearing a "KB" logo along with the numbers 8 and 24 on his green warm-up jacke to honor his departed mentor, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, Djokovic started strong, looked physically spent as Thiem trampled to within one set of the title, then caught his second wind playing with poise and patience to complete his comeback. Djokovic won 16 of 19 first-serve points and saved both break points he faced in the final set.
It took a fierce four-hour fight as Djokovic, who looked thoroughly depleted suffering a six-game slide in the second and third sets and took treatment from the tournament trainer and doctor, somehow scraped himself off the canvas, kept calm and continued battling against an opponent who had won four of their prior five meetings.
"I was on the brink of losing the match," Djokovic said. "Dominic is a fantastic tennis player that plays with tremendous amount of power in his shots, especially from the forehand side. He uses his slice really well. He disrupted my rhythm in my game at one point. He was a better player."
In a tense fifth set, Djokovic threw his entire arsenal at the Austrian, including a key drop shot and a surprise serve-and-volley play to erase a break point.
"Probably one point and one shot separated us tonight. Could have gone a different way," Djokovic said. "I served and volleyed when I was facing a break point in the fourth and in the fifth. It worked both of the times. It could have also been differently. Serve and volley is not something I'm accustomed to. I'm not really doing that that often. I kind of recognized that as an important tactics in those circumstances, and I'm really happy it worked."
Thiem, who had spent nearly six hours longer on court than than the champion, including grueling wins over Nadal and Alexander Zverev, gave it all. Urged on by coach Nicolas Massu and his parents, Thiem struck nine more winners, but came up short against the best closer Rod Laver Arena has seen.
"I think there's not much to change. Also in the last two sets, I definitely gave everything I had," Thiem said. "Well, Novak is part of three guys who are by far best players ever who played tennis. If you play a Grand Slam finals against him, it's always going to be a match where very small details are deciding.
"Of course, there were some small mistakes here and there, but they're happening. At the end was a super close five-setter. I don't really regret anything."
Eight years after Djokovic out-dueled Rafael Nadal in a five hour, 53-minute epic Australian Open final, he dug down deep under severe stress pulling off his first comeback win from two sets to one down in a major final for his record-extending eighth AO title.
The second-seeded Serbian joins 12-time Roland Garros champion Nadal and eight-time Wimbledon winner Federer as the third man to win the same Grand Slam title eight or more times. Djokovic raised his five-set record to 31-10, including an impressive 4-1 mark in five-set Grand Slam finals.
Bidding to become just the second man to defeat both Djokovic and Nadal at the same Grand Slam event—and the first since Stan Wawrinka at the 2014 AO—Thiem fought valiantly, but Djokovic dug in and refused to lose in the decider.
Testing Thiem's legs early, the defending champion grinded through a nine-minute break in the Austrian's opening service game. Djokovic quickly confirmed it for a 3-0 lead.
The first-time AO finalist made his move in the seventh game. Though Djokovic did not miss a first serve, Thiem still broke back with some heavy hitting. Thiem saved a break point to back up the break leveling at 4-all.
Oppressive on return, Djokovic tested Thiem to deuce in all five of his first-set service games. Thiem denied a set point in the 10th game only to net a slice backhand to face a second set point.
Cumulative pressure from from the champion caused Thiem to cough up his first double fault as Djokovic scored his second break to take the 52-minute opening set.
Resetting, the two-time Roland Garros finalist forged his first love hold of the day then pressed Djokovic earning three break points in the third game of the second set.
Sixty-seven minutes into the match, Djokovic wobbled spitting up his second double fault of the game to hand the Austrian a 2-1 lead.
Seemingly out of nowhere Djokovic's level dipped, his energy drained and Thiem took full advantage consolidating the break after four games. Moving better and smacking his inside-out forehand with more vigor, Thiem made inroads.
Rod Laver Arena fans were exhorting Thiem when Djokovic pressed the mute button. Continuing to drain the Austrian's legs, the Wimbledon winner drew an errant backhand breaking back for 4-all.
Winning a 29-shot rally to open the ninth game, Djokovic looked empowered but short-circuited himself.
Earning two time violation warnings cost Djokovic a first serve. He sailed a forehand gifting the break and a 5-4 lead to Thiem, who stepped up to serve for the second set while the Serbian vented at the chair umpire.
"Great job man especially on the second one; you made yourself famous," a sarcastic Djokovic, patting chair umpire's Damien Dumusois foot, derided during the changeover.
Rocketing ground strokes, Thiem torched his way through an emphatic hold to level at a set apiece after one hour, 42 minutes.
It was the first time since 2015 Djokovic dropped a set in the AO final.
"These kind of things in games switch the momentum of the match. It was a very important game," Djokovic said of the time violation. "Obviously 4-All, I broke his serve back, got myself back in the second set, then lost that game. He won the second set. That completely changed the momentum of the match.
"For touching his shoe? I mean, I didn't know that's completely forbidden. I thought it was a nice really friendly touch (smiling). I wasn't aggressive with him in terms of physical abuse. I just couldn't believe that I got the time violation. It kind of disturbed me. That's all there is to it."
Both men left the court after the second set. When play resumed, a reeling Djokovic was gulping deep breaths of air when he scattered a backhand down the line wide. Thiem scored his second straight break to start the third set.
A tenacious Thiem dodged a break point to confirm the break then lasered a backhand down the line for double break point in the third game. A dazed Djokovic needed to dig in and find the consistency he showed in the opening set, but he lost pace off his second serve. Djokovic flattened a forehand into the top of the tape and dropped his head in disappointment. Thiem reeled off his fifth consecutive game charging to a 3-0 lead.
Though Thiem spent six more hours on court than Djokovic reaching the final, he looked far fresher firing an ace to finish off his sixth straight game.
Serving-and-volleying on a second serve, Djokovic bolted a backhand down the line finally snapping his six-game slide to get on the board. The seven-time champion looked physically vulnerable taking treatment from the trainer and a visit from the doctor as he tried to regroup in the face of Thiem's onslaught.
The fifth seed sealed a two sets to one lead on his fourth set point when Djokovic netted a forehand down the line ending a set in which he served just 46 percent.
Thiem took two sets in a Slam final for the first time while Djokovic would need to go the distance for the first time since his epic 5 hour, 53-minute win over Rafa Nadal in the 2012 final if he was to defend his crown.
In a dire dilemma, Djokovic was winless in seven major finals when trailing two sets to one. The second seed saved a break point with a serve-and-volley eventually holding for 2-1.
The Indian Wells champion was brilliant building the lead, but Thiem blinked in a sloppy eighth game. Tapping a routine volley into the tape and following with a double fault he faced double break point. When Thiem sailed a forehand, Djokovic broke for 5-3 with little emotion.
The defending champion rolled through 10 of the final 12 points sealing the 42-minute fourth set sliding an ace down the middle.
Entering the deciding set with a 3-1 career record in five-set Grand Slam finals, a defiant Djokovic dug in and shrunk space.
Drawing successive errors, Djokovic drew first blood breaking for 2-1 then faced his own fears trying to consolidate.
"Facing a break point early in the fourth was a critical moment where things turned around really," Djokovic said. "I felt I started to accelerate on my serve, I started to move better, and I felt that he started to make few more mistakes than in the second and third set. I felt an opportunity and I seized it.
"After that in the fifth set, it was anybody's game really. I knew that very early in the fifth set it was crucial for me to make a break. I had that mental edge again, and that was enough to win it."
Sending a backhand return deep in the court, Thiem drew a netted error for a second break-back point. A bold Djokovic pulled off the surprise serve-and-volley and watched as Thiem sailed a backhand pass.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Following guts with guile, Djokovic carved out a dropper Thiem could not control as he navigated a six-and-a-half minute hold for 3-1.
Credit Thiem for staving off a pair of break points in the seventh game. Serving for the title, Djokovic withstood a 28-shot rally to open the game.
On this night, Djokovic's will to win would not bend. Thiem's final forehand strayed wide as Djokovic ruled Oz for the eighth time. Asked if his sweet 17th Slam makes him marvel at his achievement or even hungrier to break the major record, Djokovic replied "both."
The man who dug so deep winning his third Grand Slam crown in the last 12 months believes he has even more to give.
"I probably won't be able to comprehend the achievements I had in my career, especially Grand Slams, until I retire from tennis," Djokovic said. "The intensity of the tennis season, especially if you're committed to play full season, which I am for many years already, it doesn't allow you to kind of reflect and enjoy the success of a Grand Slam trophy.
"Already in a few weeks' time I'll be playing a tournament somewhere else in a different part of the world. I don't take it for granted, don't get me wrong. I'm super happy and grateful and blessed. At the same time I probably won't be able to go through all different emotions until I have some time and I relax myself with my family. Looking at the horizon, we can dig deep in the emotions."