Novak Djokovic outlasts Andy Murray in Australian Open epic
For the third consecutive time, Novak Djokovic will face Rafael Nadal in a Grand Slam final.
The world No. 1 defeated Andy Murray in a five-set epic on Friday night, 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 7-5. It was a wild match that went nearly five hours and featured 15-minute games, 18 breaks of serve and enough momentum swings for an entire tournament.
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Murray, who lost to Djokovic in last year's final, had two break point chances at 5-5 in the fifth. The two exchanged a tense, 30-shot rally at 40-30 that concluded with Djokovic screaming a forehand winner down the line. He went on to win the game, then broke Murray on his serve.
He advances to Sunday's final to face Nadal. Djokovic has won six straight matches against the Spaniard, including in each of the last two Grand Slam finals.
Djokovic playing in a physical marathon on Friday would seem to favor Nadal on Sunday. He had the day off after defeating Roger Federer in their semifinal and was able to watch Djokovic fully exert himself to defeat Murray. Watching his opponent play past midnight has to work in Nadal's favor. Right?
Or does it give Rafa, who already has a hang-up with Djokovic, too much to think about? As if the pressure of playing a Grand Slam final against a man he couldn't beat last year wasn't enough, now Nadal has the added weight of having the perceived upper hand. This is a fine problem to have, mind you. But if Nadal loses after having this pre-match advantage, Djokovic won't be in his head anymore. He'll have fully taken it over.
For Friday, at least, Djokovic wasn't thinking about Nadal. He was reflecting upon beating Murray.
"It's difficult to describe," Djokovic told Jim Courier after the match. "I was just trying to focus every point. [...] There is not much words that can describe the feeling I have now, the feeling of the match. The result says it all."
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