Australian Open 2020 Men’s Final: Novak Djokovic has won his 8th Australian Open title and 17th Grand Slam.
Australian Open 2020 Men’s Singles Final, Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic Highlights: Novak Djokovic beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an epic four-hour final to win his 8th Australian Open Men’s Singles title at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday. Djokovic took the first set 6-4 and raced to a similarly dominant start in the second set. However, Thiem fought back in the second set to take it 6-4 and level the match. Djokovic’s wheels came off a little in the third set as Thiem took control to see out the set 6-2 and go one set up. The pendulum swung again in the fourth set as the World Number 2 took command to win the fourth set 6-3 to force a fifth set. Djokovic broke Thiem early in the fifth set. Thiem came up with a brave performance to keep pace with Djokovic then on, but was not able to break him despite getting a few break points.
Djokovic has now won his 17th Grand Slam title, inching closer to Roger Federer’s all-time record mark of 20 Majors. Djokovic had dropped just one set on way to the final. He was stretched to the limits on Sunday in the final though. His recovery has been billed as the Miracle of Melbourne, considering that he looked down and out of the contest when he had to walk off the court with his medical team after complaining of exhaustion at a stage when he was a set down.
Highlights
Novak Djokovic wins 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. He wins his 8th Australian Open title. He wins his 17th Grand Slam title. The 'Miracle in Melbourne', this recover has been called already. What a recovery! What a fight! It looked like Djokovic was down and out when he walked off with his doctor after complaining of exhaustion at the end of the third set. What happened then on was nothing short of a miracle. What a final we have had. A classic final. An epic battle. At the end of the day, it is Djokovic, the defending champion, the Melbourne Master, who beats the challenger, Dominic Thiem, in a 4-hour final.
Mishit backhand down the line that was off by a mile. Two championship points for Djokovic.
Thiem goes long with a wild mishit forehand. Djokovic fist pump. 2 points from title.
Thiem smashes a forehand groundstroke with power. Djokovic comes up with an ace. 15 all.
Thiem needs to come up with one final push. He has to break Djokovic now. Djokovic has been on song throughout these last two sets because his srve has been invincible. Can he come up with another hold?
Thiem needs to come up with one final push. He has to break Djokovic now. Djokovic has been on song throughout these last two sets because his srve has been invincible. Can he come up with another hold?
Looks like Thiem is giving himself one last chance to break Djokovic. Forehand error to go 40-15. Where Thiem has faltered today has been when he has been on the too aggressive side. He always had to come out all guns blazing, but that has sometimes played into Djokovic's hands.
Djokovic comes up with two monstrous serves when he needed to the most! He leads 5-3 and inches closer to his 17th Grand Slam title.
On a knife's edge, this one. Thiem's gutsy hold of serve has given him some adrenaline it would seem.
A massive massive rally! Even the chair umpire is stunned before he manages to blurt out 0-15. Thiem gets the first point of the 8th game, and what a point it was. The crowd were on their feet. Can Thiem break? He has to if he has to at some stage. Another opportunity for him after this at best. Now or never!
Thiem holds! There is drama left in this match yet. Thiem is holding on by the skin of his teeth. Djokovic serves to go 5-3 up. Could easily have been him serving for the match and title here.
That's a virtual break point. Chance for him to go 5-2 up and get a chance to serve for the title.
Precision and power from the Austrian. Goes 40-30 up. Can breathe for now. A forehand error! And it's deuce. Novak can smell blood again.
Thiem has been backed into a corner. If he cannot hold serve now, this match is virtually over.
Perfect game again! Djokovic with a fist pump and a reassuring look to his box. He believes he can win this now. It seems like when he had to go off with his doctor in the third set is now ancient history. He can jump from mountain to mountain, the kind of alacrity he is showing now.
Goes to deuce on Thiem's serve. Hint of tiredness from the Austrian. Remember, he has been on the Australian Open courts for six more hours than Djokovic this last fortnight. Looks like he is doing more of the running at this stage. He does hold though! Magnificient effort. Djokovic leads 3-2 in the fifth set.
Huge hold from Djokovic! Djokovic gives a stare across court as he holds. Thiem's errors saw that game end though. The Austrian under pressure not to go too far behind Djokovic now.
Incredible effort from both these athletes at this stage. Like two gladiators locked in combat. Blood, sweat and tears. They're pouring it all out there. Djokovic hits a backhand at the net to give Thiem Break Point number 2.
30-30 in the fourth game. The Austrian gives it all at the point after a massive rally. And then Thiem gets a bit of luck going his way to earn a break point. Intense fightback again.
Djokovic to serve to go 3-1 up in the fifth set after this. Thiem falters with the forehand to give Novak Djokovic a sniff of blood. Getting past Djokovic was never going to be easy, but this got just a whole lot more difficult. He has to break Djokovic now.
Break point for Djokovic! 30-40 in tbhe third game. The angles have all closed for Thiem now.
Perfect game from Djokovic. Roar goes up around the arena as Djokovic closes the game out without giving a single point to Thiem. Thiem needs to serve well here to stay with Djokovic. Again, things are looking like they had been in the first set. Djokovic imperious. Thiem coming up short.
The Austrian manages to make a positive start to the final set. Djokovic starts off well on his serve as well. 30-0. We are going the distance at the Rod Laver tonight. When will the big moments come and who will take them? That's the kind of match this has turned out to be.
And we begin the fifth and final chapter of this classic battle. 15-15 on Thiem's serve. Can Thiem come up with yet another dimension to his game or has the defending champion come alive when he needed to the most?
An ace! That's how we go into a fifth and deciding set. Djokovic has come alive! After looking down and out at the end of the third set, the World Number 2 has come up with his best tennis. 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 - that is how it has been from Djokovic in this epic final. We are into the fourth hour of this match and we are no surer to knowing who will win this Australian Open title.
Djokovic breaks in the 4th set! Thiem is undone finally. The pendulum has swung again! Djokovic now serves for the 4th set. 30-0 and 5-3 up in the fourth set. We are heading into a fifth set after all it would seem.
Djokovic knows he needs to strike now. Thiem knows he has to hold, has to keep Djokovic at bay now. Makes a mistake though, hits it into the net. Djokovic then makes an attacking move. Djoker goes 30-15 up. Djokovic time now!
New balls are called for and the purchase on offer on the new balls helps Djokovic. We have seen it in all the sets and we are seeing it again. His groundstrokes seem to become so much more devastating. An effortless game again. 4-3 to him in the fourth. That was a game over in no time after a long Thiem game.
Amazing, incredible effort from Thiem. Djokovic is throwing the kitchen sink at Thiem, but Thiem is playing like a man possessed. A deep volley, then an incredible effort to get back to the end of the court to smash it cross court. Djokovic looked like he had got a chance to break Thiem in the 4th set, but Thiem played some brave tennis to take the game. He holds serve. Time for Djokovic to hold ser ve now. He would be bitterly disappointed he couldn't break Thiem there.
3-2 to Djokovic in the fourth set. Djokovic gets his supporters on their feet with a superb barrage of points. The World No. 2 is getting back into this. Who will blink first in the 4th set?
Thiem looks incredibly calm as he smashes his way through to holding his serve. 2-all in the 4th. Nobody's blinking yet. Djokovic's exhaustion seems to have gone away for the moment as he is bringing out all his array of shots.
2-1 to Djokovic in the 4th set. Djokovic holds his hands up to the sky as the last point of the games comes to him after the ball catches the top of the tape. Something going his way finally. That is what the Serb seems to be telling the Gods.
Solid response from Thiem. Apart from one imperious slice from Djokovic which looked like a drop shot in the offing till the last minute, that game was all the Austrian's. Has to hold his nerve. He will not have his first Grand Slam title handed to him on a platter.
Djokovic, looking more sprightly since that unofficial medical time out, has started things off on a positive note in the 4th set.
Djokovic returns to court and returns with an imperious game. Comes up with a forehand - probably the best forehand we have seen from him today - to start off proceedings in the 4th set. Thiem, not willing to give an inch, returns fire with fire. Djokovic leads 40-30 in the first game of the fourth set.
Djokovic has walked off the court. Temporarily we hope. He has gone off the court with his doctor. No explanation has been given on why he has gone off. There has not been any announcement of a medical timeout. Concerning development, this.
The resistance ends. Thiem takes the third set 6-2 to go one set up in this final. Djokovic was on the mat for large portions of that set. Miraculous turnaround in the match considering the dominating note Djokovic had started the match on. He needs to find something different in the 4th set.
Resistance from Djokovic. He is not making it easy for Thiem to take the 3rd set. Fourth time we have gone to deuce in this game. And a wide backhand from Djokovic gives Thiem his 4th set point.
A rash shot gives Novak a look-in. Then a perfect shot kisses the line. It's all Thiem at the moment. Winners and unforced errors both. Djokovic is on the rope. The game goes to deuce but Thiem smashes through Djokovic's defence again to bring up Set point number 2.
Thiem is keeping his head down. He knows he is in a strong position, but he knows he has to play every point on its merit. Takes a 30-15 lead. 2 points away from the set.