Raz Mirza
Commentary and Analysis @RazMirza
Novak Djokovic wins three titles in a row at Melbourne Park and an 18th Grand Slam title, bringing him two behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the all-time standings; World No.1 ends 20-game unbeaten streak of finalist Daniil Medvedev for the first time
Last updated: 02/21/21 10:50 AM
Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev to win his ninth Australian Open and 18th Grand Slam overall
Novak Djokovic sealed his third straight Australian Open title and ninth overall as the world No.1 outscored Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-2 6-2 in Melbourne on Sunday.
The victory earned Djokovic an 18th career Grand Slam title to put him within two of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the all-time standings.
In stunning dominance of the men’s game, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer have now won 15 of the last 16 Grand Slam titles, with the exception of Dominic Thiem at last year’s US Open.
Djokovic crushed Medvedev to continue his dominance at Melbourne Park
Djokovic has declared himself back in great shape after the abdominal injury he suffered in the third round against Taylor Fritz.
Playing in his 28th major final, Djokovic came out of the blocks, making a perfect start to take a 3-0 lead.
Medvedev, who reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in 2019, entered the final with confidence after winning three titles in 20 unbeaten matches.
Having already beaten Djokovic in straight sets in the ATP Finals last November, the Russian responded after winning a 28-stroke rally to find a way to go back and level up to 3-3.
But it was Djokovic who ultimately drew the first blood by edging out a high-quality set after the fourth seed fell again in Game 12 to tip the scales in favor of the Serbs.
Biting final saw Medvedev finish as runner-up
Medvedev, who has many of the same traits as Djokovic in terms of defensive qualities and relentless consistency from the baseline, immediately broke early in the second.
But the 33-year-old responded by winning five of the next six games as Medvedev began to unravel, venting his growing frustration on his racquet.
Another break in the next game gave Djokovic the set 6-2 and a comfortable lead as he looked to tighten his grip on the Norman Brooks Challenge Cup for a ninth time.
Djokovic vs Medvedev: Match Statistics
| Djokovic | Match statistics | Medvedev |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ace | 6 |
| 2 | Double faults | 4 |
| 73% | First serve win percentage | 68% |
| 57% | 2nd serve win percentage | 33% |
| 7/11 | Break points earned | 2/4 |
| 20 | Total winners | 24 |
| 17 | Unforced errors | 30 |
| 87/155 | Total points earned | 68/155 |
The 25-year-old Russian had come from two sets before losing to Nadal in the 2019 US Open final on his Grand Slam debut, but his repeat attempts were quickly put out by a rather magnificent display of his opponent.
A masterful Djokovic found open water before sealing the victory with an overhead to continue his dominance at Melbourne Park.
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