As a child in Serbia, Novak Djokovic dreamed it was his destiny to win Wimbledon.
That mission was accomplished two years ago but, in a city on the other side of the world, Djokovic created history last night when he became the first man in the professional era to win three straight Australian Opens.
On dropping the first set to a friend and foe since childhood, Andy Murray, it seemed the Serbian might join others - including the Scot's coach Ivan Lendl - who have fallen short of an Australian Open hat-trick.
But after overcoming an early flat spot - at one stage he lost 17 of 19 points - to level when winning the second set in a tiebreaker, the world No 1 ran away from the ailing US Open champion to win 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2.
It denied Murray, who needed five sets to defeat Roger Federer on Friday night, his own piece of history, for the Scot was seeking to become the first man to win a second grand slam title after making a breakthrough at the highest level.
Fans have seen many guises of the Serbian this Australian Open. Djokovic was defiant in outlasting Stanislas Wawrinka, indestructible when overcoming that marathon to thrash Tomas Berdych and dominant when trouncing David Ferrer. But last night, against an opponent who had beaten him in the final of the US Open, Djokovic once again proved himself a champion.
The Serbian was tetchy early and, as was the case against Wawrinka, he clearly felt his movement was hindered by the shoes he was wearing. For every slip, his box got a glare.
Not that it stopped him winning points, as he proved at 3-all in the first set when tripping, recovering and hitting a winner. Nor would you expect anything different from either finalist, such is the excellence of their court coverage.
Nor was the world No 3 immune from the absurd - a falling feather from a seagull ruffled Murray in the second set tiebreaker when it broke his concentration and caused a double fault. The Scot was also twice disturbed by a heckler when attempting to serve, the second coming in the critical game in the third set when he dropped serve for the first time.
But Murray's troubles deepened from the irritable to the physical early in the fourth when he began grasping at his left hamstring.
Already struggling with foot blisters - footage showed massive tears in the skin on the ball of his right foot - he seemed to struggle to push off on both return and serve as his rival scented a fourth title in Melbourne.
Before the final, the Scot had said he hoped to feel pain because that would mean he was right in the match. Given the first two sets lasted longer than an hour each, it was certain he would enter that territory, win or lose.
By deep in the third set he was seeing red mist. The Scot was sucking in the air after a rally of 36 shots. On the next point his brain faded - Murray missed with a volley down the line when the Serbian was out of the point to drop to 0-30 at 3-4.
A ripped forehand winner on the next point gave Djokovic three break points and when a Murray forehand found the net on his final chance, the world No 1 had the chance to serve for a two sets to one lead.
Sensing his rivals struggle, Djokovic worked him further from side to side and when he broke for 2-1, a third successive title seemed his. When Murray double faulted to slip to 4-1 two games later, it effectively was.
That mission was accomplished two years ago but, in a city on the other side of the world, Djokovic created history last night when he became the first man in the professional era to win three straight Australian Opens.
On dropping the first set to a friend and foe since childhood, Andy Murray, it seemed the Serbian might join others - including the Scot's coach Ivan Lendl - who have fallen short of an Australian Open hat-trick.
But after overcoming an early flat spot - at one stage he lost 17 of 19 points - to level when winning the second set in a tiebreaker, the world No 1 ran away from the ailing US Open champion to win 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2.
It denied Murray, who needed five sets to defeat Roger Federer on Friday night, his own piece of history, for the Scot was seeking to become the first man to win a second grand slam title after making a breakthrough at the highest level.
Fans have seen many guises of the Serbian this Australian Open. Djokovic was defiant in outlasting Stanislas Wawrinka, indestructible when overcoming that marathon to thrash Tomas Berdych and dominant when trouncing David Ferrer. But last night, against an opponent who had beaten him in the final of the US Open, Djokovic once again proved himself a champion.
The Serbian was tetchy early and, as was the case against Wawrinka, he clearly felt his movement was hindered by the shoes he was wearing. For every slip, his box got a glare.
Not that it stopped him winning points, as he proved at 3-all in the first set when tripping, recovering and hitting a winner. Nor would you expect anything different from either finalist, such is the excellence of their court coverage.
Nor was the world No 3 immune from the absurd - a falling feather from a seagull ruffled Murray in the second set tiebreaker when it broke his concentration and caused a double fault. The Scot was also twice disturbed by a heckler when attempting to serve, the second coming in the critical game in the third set when he dropped serve for the first time.
But Murray's troubles deepened from the irritable to the physical early in the fourth when he began grasping at his left hamstring.
Already struggling with foot blisters - footage showed massive tears in the skin on the ball of his right foot - he seemed to struggle to push off on both return and serve as his rival scented a fourth title in Melbourne.
Before the final, the Scot had said he hoped to feel pain because that would mean he was right in the match. Given the first two sets lasted longer than an hour each, it was certain he would enter that territory, win or lose.
By deep in the third set he was seeing red mist. The Scot was sucking in the air after a rally of 36 shots. On the next point his brain faded - Murray missed with a volley down the line when the Serbian was out of the point to drop to 0-30 at 3-4.
A ripped forehand winner on the next point gave Djokovic three break points and when a Murray forehand found the net on his final chance, the world No 1 had the chance to serve for a two sets to one lead.
Sensing his rivals struggle, Djokovic worked him further from side to side and when he broke for 2-1, a third successive title seemed his. When Murray double faulted to slip to 4-1 two games later, it effectively was.
Source : TheAustralian
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