When Rafael Nadal won last year’s Australian Open, beating Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne, he ended a period of dominance for Novak Djokovic, whose vaccine status meant he was unable to try and defend his title down under for a fourth successive time. In doing so, the Spaniard became the most successful men’s tennis player in terms of Grand Slam wins, but the now 35-year-old has struggled with injuries as of late, and those placing a bet on tennis Australian Open would see that he is hardly a favourite to retain the title.
With Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios also absent from the curtain raiser of the tennis calendar, this year’s Australian Open looks to have fallen straight into Djokovic’s lap. The Serbian has already won the competition nine times and to make it a tenth will surely establish his legacy down under despite so much controversy over the last 12 months. The road ahead won’t be as routine as we may have alluded to, but it would be foolish to write Djokovic off given his success in previous tournaments.
With that in mind, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at some of Djokovic’s best performances to win previous Australian Opens. Read on to find out more.
Djokovic vs Nadal – 2019
The penultimate tournament before coronavirus restrictions really took off, Djokovic’s 2019 victory over Rafael Nadal served to demonstrate all of the Serbian’s best qualities, with a well-rounded and versatile performance in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Coming in as the best player in the world, the pressure was bound to be on, but having overcome Kei Nishikori and Lucas Pouille to reach the final, he was in an irresistible run of form that culminated in a seventh title. It was a match that lasted just over two hours as an unbelievable flurry of shots and serves proved too much for Nadal on the day.
Djokovic vs Andy Murray – 2011
While Andy Murray was proving to be a thorn in the side of tennis’s big three, the Scot didn’t quite have enough to get past Djokovic in the 2011 showpiece, with the Serbian winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. In his second successive Australian Open final, Murray was certainly an underdog, and succumbed to the pressure after Djokovic broke his serve four times and dominated from the off. It proved all too much for Murray, who after losing to Roger Federer the year before would have to wait until 2012 to earn a maiden Grand Slam.
Djokovic vs Medvedev – 2021
A decade later, Djokovic showed his longevity as well as class by besting Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne. While many believed the ending to be somewhat anticlimactic due to its one-sided nature, the opening set was a classic, and a fitting way for Djokovic to complete another three-peat of titles. It was a record-extending ninth title in which the winner was full of respect for his opponent.
“I really like Daniil as a person off the court,” he said. “He’s great, always very friendly, very outgoing but on the court he’s definitely one of the toughest players that I ever faced in my life. It’s a matter of time when you’re going to hold a grand slam that’s for sure … but if you don’t mind waiting a few more years.”
