Twelve months after exiting the Australian Open with fitness, form and career doubts swirling, Novak Djokovic on Sunday struggled to keep his emotions from reducing him to tears.
The Serb world no 1 had just lifted the Norman Brookes trophy for a record seventh time, after completing a Wimbledon, US Open and and Australian Open hat-trick that would have seemed scarcely possible this time last year. In the process, he became first male player to win three or more consecutive Grand Slam titles on three separate occasions.
The pair’s only previous final in Australia, in 2012, developed into a record-breaking 5 hour, 53 minute slugfest – the longest in Grand Slam history. But his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 rout of Rafael Nadal saw him stretch his lead at the top of the world rankings, just a few months after he plummeted outside the top 20 for the first time in 12 years.
This victory extended his win-loss record against Nadal to 28-25 and squared the Grand Slam final count between the pair at 4-4. The Serb is now just two behind Nadal’s total of 17 Grand Slams and five shy of Roger Federer’s record of 20.
Here’s a look at all the big number
8 Aces 3
0 Double Faults 2
34 Winners 21
9 Unforced Errors 28
5/8 Break Point Conversions 0/1
89 Total Points Won 53
World No. 1 @DjokerNole has won 10 titles in 15 finals at last 24 Grand Slam hard-court tournaments (#AusOpen, @USOpen).
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 27, 2019
7-time @AustralianOpen Champion (2008, 2011-13, 2015-16, 2019)
3-time US Open Champion (2011, 2015, 2018)
5-time US Open Runner-Up (2007, 2010, 2012-13, 2016)
Djokovic overtakes Sampras on Grand Slam titles!
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) January 27, 2019
1. Federer 20
2. Nadal 17
3. DJOKOVIC 15 🆙
4. Sampras 14
5. Emerson 12 pic.twitter.com/QFEbBCUQz6
Most time winners of each Grand Slam (Open Era)#AusOpen : 7 - Novak Djokovic#FrenchOpen : 11 - Rafael Nadal#Wimbledon : 8 - Roger Federer#USOpen : 5 - Jimmy Connors/Pete Sampras/Roger Federer
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 27, 2019
This match is on pace to be the shortest completed Grand Slam match to take place between Djokovic and Nadal. They've played 13 completed Grand Slam matches against each other. The shortest so far has been Novak's RG15 QF win (2:26)
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) January 27, 2019
Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka are the first back-to-back male and female Grand Slam champions since Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf did it in 1995 @Wimbledon and the @usopen.
— Mike McIntyre (@protennisfan) January 27, 2019
Not bad, @DjokerNole. pic.twitter.com/rGirzW1nWo
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 27, 2019
Djokovic hit 133 unforced errors in his first four matches at AO, 50 unforced errors in Medvedev match alone.
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) January 27, 2019
He made 23 unforced errors in QF, SF and F combined.
Talk about raising one's level.
I mean.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 27, 2019
25 winners and 4 unforced errors in 95 minutes of tennis against Rafael Nadal.
Just another dimension today from Novak Djokovic.
Two sets and a break up.
Novak Djokovic since Roland Garros:
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 27, 2019
Queen's F
Wimbledon W
Toronto R3
Cincinnati W
US Open W
Shanghai W
Paris F
ATP Finals F
Doha SFs#AusOpen W pic.twitter.com/zdmJlkzhSJ
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2019
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