MELBOURNE – Novak Djokovic crushed Andy Murray 6-1 7-5 7-6(3) on Sunday to match Roy Emerson’s record of six Australian Open titles and leave the Briton heartbroken again at Melbourne Park.
The defending champion was at his ruthless best under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, mauling Murray in the baseline duels and closing out the match in two hours and 53 minutes.
Murray succumbed to his fifth loss in five Australian Open finals, and fourth against the Serbian world number one, who claimed his 11th grand slam title to draw level with the totals of Australian Rod Laver and Swede Bjorn Borg.
Having fended off Murray in a marathon second set, Djokovic again had to put down some stiff Murray resistance in the third as the Scot refused to go quietly.
But having been dragged into a tiebreak, Djokovic sealed the title on his third match point with a clinical ace down the T.
For a man who has owned the year’s first grand slam for five of the past six years and won his first in 2008, Djokovic’s celebrations were subdued and he gave Murray a consoling pat on the chest as they shook hands. (Reuters)
