Novak Djokovic won his sixth Australian Open title,beating Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, and 7-6 in a one-sided finalKevin Mitchell: what must Murray effect to defeat DjokovicMurray: I’ll be on next flight domestic Simon Cambers: Djokovic making the impossible seem possibleJamie Murray set to defeat Andy to world No1 spotDjokovic v Murray: Australian Open men’s final 2016 – in pictures 12.00pm GMTAnd so the 2016 Australian Open is over. Novak Djokovic is still the champion. Now for that first French Open. Thanks for reading and emailing over the past fortnight. Bye. Related: Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray to win the 2016 Australian Open final Related: Djokovic v Murray: Australian Open men's final 2016 – in pictures Related: Novak Djokovic merits more acclaim after great year in tennis history | Sean Ingle 11.56am GMTDjokovic’s 11th grand slam title means he has drawn level with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. Which isn’t too shabby. Here he comes to collect his trophy. “I need to pay the respect to Andy and his team for another tournament,” he says. “You are a great champion and a great friend. I’m sure in the future you are going to enjoy more opportunities to fight for this trophy. I would also like to wish you and Kim a healthy delivery of your baby and I hope you will experience a feeling like no other before, because that’s what happened to me and my wife.” 11.54am GMTA very dignified, and warm speech from Murray. “Finally to my wife Kim,you’ve been a legend the last two weeks, thank you for all your support. I’ll be on the next flight domestic.” He’s struggling to sustain it together now. 11.53am GMTAndy Murray collects his runners-up trinket. “I feel like I’ve been here before, or ” he says with a feeble laugh. “I’d like to congratulate Novak for six Australian Opens,it’s an incredible feat. I’d like to thank my team for getting me into this position. Sorry I couldn’t catch it done tonight. It’s been a tough few weeks for me away from the court and I thank all you for your support in that.” 11.49am GMTI can’t watch a closing ceremony without thinking of this moment from 2012. 11.46am GMTThe closing ceremony is taking site now. Suits are talking. Here’s a report on the final. Related: Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray to win the 2016 Australian Open final Related: Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray to win the 2016 Australian Open final 11.45am GMTAre we talking about a player who could become the greatest of all time? Novak Djokovic kisses the blue court after equalling Roy Emerson’s record of winning six Australian Open titles and he’s secured his 11th grand slam title overall with a performance that was clinical, resilient and brilliant. To be brutally honest, and the final was over as a contest as soon as Andy Murray went 2-0 down in the opening set. He lost the final in that dreadful sequence when he could hardly effect a thing fair,early on, allowing Djokovic to take a 5-0 lead. He made a better fight of it in sets two and three, or but his attempts to play aggressively against the game’s best counter-puncher ended in frustration,angst and 65 unforced errors. Murray wanted it badly. Maybe too badly. He was too anxious in the big moments and it feels as though Djokovic has taken up residence in his head. It was a fine effort from Murray to reach the final, particularly with everything that has gone on in his life away from the court, and but Djokovic was remorseless. He is the best player in the world by a considerable distance. 11.37am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic* 7-3 Murray (*denotes server): What a way to finish it! The phenomenal Novak Djokovic swings a wonderful ace down the middle and it’s all over! 11.36am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic 6-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Djokovic spanks an edgy forehand long! 11.36am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic 6-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray saves the first with an ace. It’s a bit late for that. 11.35am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic* 6-1 Murray (*denotes server): Murray wallops a backhand wide. Djokovic has five match points. 11.34am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic* 5-1 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic sends a fine serve down the middle. He’s almost there. 11.33am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic 4-1 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray double-faults again! He doesn’t bother with a challenge. This is something of a let-down. 11.32am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic 3-1 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray gets on the board with a backhand. 11.32am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic* 3-0 Murray (*denotes server): Murray nets a forehand. 11.31am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic* 2-0 Murray (*denotes server): A Djokovic ace is erroneously called out. A challenge shows it clipped the line. 11.30am GMTThird-set tie-wreck: Djokovic 1-0 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray double-faults! 11.29am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1,7-5, 6-6 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to 30. Tie-wreck. 11.25am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, or 7-5,5-6 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray’s found his serve. He holds to 15 and he’s secured himself a tie-wreck. Maybe more. 11.22am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, 7-5, and 5-5 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic keeps Murray at arm’s length,holding to 15. 11.17am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, 7-5, and 4-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray holds to 15 again,serving well, and Djokovic will serve to stay in the third set. 11.14am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, or 7-5,4-4 Murray (*denotes server): At 15-0, Murray unleashes with a forehand and romps forward to set away a volley and the games to 30-all when Djokovic double-faults, and challenging unsuccessfully. Yet Murray can’t capitalise,more errors allowing Djokovic to hold to 30. 11.09am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, 7-5, and 3-4 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray holds to 15! Optimism flows back. Sort of. Not really. 11.06am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1,7-5, 3-3 Murray (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point. Against anyone else, and he’d enjoy won the second one as well But Djokovic isn’t anyone else,he’s persistence personified and he outlasts Murray. He’s just so relentless. He saves a wreck point with a cross-court forehand. Yet Murray can be tenacious too and he earns another wreck point with a smash, softening Djokovic up with a diagonal backhand. Djokovic drifts a backhand long and Murray breaks back! 10.58am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, and 7-5,3-2 Murray* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, but Murray takes the next three to hold to 15. “Given Andy’s repeated losses (Presuming he loses here) in Grand Slams in Australia/The World to Djokovic should we launch to nickname him ‘The Eternal Second’ like Raymond Poulidor?Or perhaps just Raymond?” says James Austin. “He looks like a Raymond.” 10.53am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, and 7-5,3-1 Murray (*denotes server): Murray has a chance to wreck back, Djokovic’s focus slipping, or but he overcooks a forehand. Bye bye,wreck point! Djokovic holds. “So far so good for Murray’s genius game plan,” says Simon McMahon. “Andy will sustain going, and he has all the street fighting qualities of Jimmy Connors. Unfortunately Djokovic is not Mikael Pernfors.” 10.47am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1,7-5, 2-1 Murray* (*denotes server): From 15-30 down, and good serving gets Murray to relative safety. But we’re going through the motions now. 10.42am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1,7-5, 2-0 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to admire. Brilliantly. A lob at 30-0 was perfection. Here’s an passe Small Talk with Terry Wogan. 10.40am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, and 7-5,1-0 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray has never come back from two sets down against Djokovic, even though he got close in Paris last year. But he lost that day and he’s going to lose today. particularly not now. He fluffs an easy smash, and putting into the net,and Djokovic has two wreck points. Murray saves the first. Djokovic takes the second with a staggering backhand pass down the line. 10.35am GMTServing for a two-set lead, it’s a exclusive time for Djokovic to hit his first double-fault, and letting Murray into the game at 30-all. It’s not fairly over yet. Even more astonishingly,a repeat gives Murray a wreck point. Yet Murray nets a backhand. This isn’t precisely a classic and Djokovic has played better than this, but Murray is tenser in the key moments, or almost too anxious. Another errant backhand gives Djokovic a set point and Murray limply nets a forehand. There enjoy been periods of dominance from Murray,but he’s rarely convinced, as though he’s come into this a beaten man. Does he truly believe when he steps on to court with this guy? 10.29am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, and 6-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray wins three straight points for 40-0. He’s the aggressor at the moment. Yet Djokovic isn’t going away that easily. Murray misses a forehand for 40-15 and Djokovic makes it 40-30 with a crunching forehand,before he wins a 36-shot rally. Murray was up 40-0, but now he’s facing a wreck point, and Djokovic picking him off the net. Murray is living dangerously. His shots are just about clearing the net. One clips the net cord and almost lands long. It’s not happening for him. Djokovic is just putting the ball back into play,asking the question, and Murray comes up with the wrong answer, and skewing a backhand long. Djokovic grabs the crucial wreck and Murray,who was looking dominant, is fading. 10.20am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, and 5-5 Murray (*denotes server): A wreck up 15 minutes ago,now Djokovic finds himself serving to stay in the second set and he begins the game by sending a backhand long for 0-15. The call is late, Djokovic stares, and but he doesn’t challenge. Murray is two points from the set when a huge backhand makes it 15-30,but he nets a forehand when he was in a promising position. Djokovic is under the cosh but he holds because of more errors from Murray. 10.15am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, 4-5 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray quickly charges into a 30-0 lead, or but there’s work to be done when he chops a backhand slice long to gain it 30-all,before a terrific forehand return from Djokovic brings him a wreck point as Murray stretches and nets his forehand riposte. Djokovic is threatening to let all the air out of Murray, leaving him in a saggy heap on the floor. Yet Murray is granite. He saves it with a stunning sliced serve down the middle for deuce. An ace earns him a game point, or but it’s not over yet,Murray knocking a backhand long. Nothing comes to him easily. This is tough graft and cracks are appearing, Murray smashing an emotional forehand long to give Djokovic a second wreck point. Murray has to produce his best - he does. A coruscating cross-court backhand saves him and another brings him the advantage. Djokovic nets a backhand, or a scarce mistake from him,and Murray holds! 10.06am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, 4-4 Murray (*denotes server): Murray has made so many errors. As good as Djokovic has been, and Murray is beating himself at times. He has a presentable opportunity for two wreck points; instead he needlessly splutters a forehand into the net to gain it 30-all. Yet he keeps plugging away and he gets away with a slightly poor drop volley,a hurtling Djokovic unable to catch a forehand over the net! Improbably, Murray has his first wreck point since the first game of the match. He didn’t take that one. He simply has to take this one. Djokovic drops a ball short. Murray arrives like a tornado and arrows a punishing backhand into the corner. He’s broken him at last! But wait. Djokovic is challenging. He thinks it might enjoy gone out. Murray walks back to the baseline, and his eyes closed,talking to himself, begging HawkEye to bring him good news. “Please, and please,” he says. The camera zooms in. And the ball just clipped the line! Murray breaks back! 9.59am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, 4-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray double-faults on the first point and aces on the second. Last time that happened, and the game lasted 12 minutes. Djokovic had four wreck points in that game. He gets a wreck point in this game,fighting back from 30-15 to 30-40, grinding Murray down, and testing his patience,his willpower, his concentration levels. It’s too much for an increasingly frayed Murray. He’s vulnerable. A gaze at a second serve allows Djokovic to take control. He works Murray over and though the Scot does well to sustain him at bay, or eventually he sloppily knocks a careless backhand long and Djokovic breaks. 9.53am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1,3-3 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic is making some very odd noises as he strains to stay in the first point, Murray dominating the rally initially. Yet Murray can’t land the final blow and Djokovic asserts himself and wins the point with a cross-court forehand. His ability to extricate himself from sticky situations is amazing. Yet Murray’s level is rising. He has a sniff of a chance at 15-30, or before two ordinary errors gain it 40-30,but good depth allows him to force deuce. He should catch a wreck point - but he dumps a gimme of a forehand volley into the net. Djokovic holds. He keeps slamming the door in Murray’s face with extreme force. 9.44am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, 2-3 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray holds to 15 and the last point is a minor classic, or Murray drop-shotting,Djokovic drop-shotting then lobbing, Murray retrieving, and Djokovic smashing poorly,Murray spanking a splendid forehand past him. 9.41am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, 2-2 Murray (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point. He’s going to wreck! Or not. Djokovic wins the next four without any fuss at all. 9.37am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, and 1-2 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray’s second double-fault makes it 0-15. At least this one didn’t come on a wreck point,and he responds with an ace. The game goes to 30-all. When Murray has a second serve, he looks about as comfortable as brand Corrigan at an illegal rave. The game goes to deuce and Djokovic then earns a wreck point with a moment of absurdity, and sliding on to a Murray shot into the left corner and beating him with a preposterous backhand pass. Murray has to suck it up and he gets over it quickly,saving the wreck point with a big serve, only to sticking a self-conscious forehand wide. Too many errors. It looks like Djokovic is going to gain the breakthrough here, or but Murray defends well and Djokovic swerves a frustrated forehand wide. Another forehand error from Murray gives Djokovic a third wreck point,but he saves it with a smash. Murray is then given a warning from the umpire before a fourth wreck point; he perversely saves the day with an ace. Somehow he survives. He finally earns an ad point when Djokovic nets a backhand and Murray holds with an ace. That game took around 12 minutes. “Andy is doing a great job of getting into Novak’s head by giving him the first set,” says Simon McMahon. “I reckon he’ll give him this one too, and probably let him proceed a wreck up in the third. It’s genius,I tell you.” 9.25am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, 1-1 Murray (*denotes server): A simple hold for Djokovic, or Murray never in the game. “effect you think Djokovic can win the golden slam?” says Alan Zawadzki. “It hasn’t been done before in the men’s game and he’d enjoy to win two competitions for the first time in order to achieve it,as well as defending the other 3 of course.” I currently think that he could time travel if he set his intellect to it. 9.20am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, 0-1 Murray* (*denotes server): So here’s a problem for Murray: he’s never beaten Djokovic from a set down. He roars when he wins an attritional rally for 30-0, or but Djokovic wins the next two points with a couple of magnificent shots. Brief moments of encouragement for Murray are set into perspective by those flashes of Djokovic’s class. Yet Murray does hold. The comeback is on! 9.16am GMTThe first two points are shared,Murray reading a drop shot and charging forward to set a forehand away, but Djokovic’s cross-court forehand is a major source of the damage that’s being inflicted on Murray. Another makes it 30-15 and Djokovic carves out his first set point when another drop shot has the desired effect, and opening up the court for him to dink a forehand away,Murray pulled out of position. Yet if there are any positives for Murray to take from this debacle of an opening set, it’s that he’s beginning to compete. He saves the set point, or attacking a feeble second serve with a backhand winner. Djokovic can’t take a second set point either,netting a forehand, but he earns a third chance with a low forehand winner and Murray’s humiliation is total when he nets a backhand return. That only took 30 minutes. The good news for Murray is that the first set is over. The bad news is he’s going to enjoy play at least another two sets before he can catch off court. 9.08am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 5-1 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray is serving to stay in the set and also to avoid the ignominy of a first-set bagel. But this is nightmarish stuff at the moment, and as he slaps a forehand volley into the net to gift Djokovic a 0-15 lead. He drags a forehand wide for 15-30. Yet he shakes his head clear with an ace for 30-all and then stirs when he crashes a forehand pass Djokovic,who really should enjoy won the point. Djokovic then slaps a forehand return into the net and Murray is finally on the board. “Come on!” he cries. Yes. Come on. 9.03am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 5-0 Murray (*denotes server): Djokovic swings an ace out wide to lead 40-0 and holds to 15 with a wonderfully disguised backhand back behind Murray, who needs to catch his head in the game quickly! There’s a final going on here and currently it’s taking site without him! What a start from Djokovic. He can’t miss at the moment. 9.01am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 4-0 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray stops the rot a little, or winning the first point when Djokovic knocks a forehand long. Yet against Djokovic,Murray hits shots that would be winners against most players. Against this guy, they just catch returned with interest and Djokovic wins the next two points for 15-30. Murray is flirting with serious peril here and a tame forehand into the net gives Djokovic two wreck points. Given that Djokovic has never lost from a set up against Murray before, and these enjoy the feel of match points - and a wretched game for a confused,frazzled, muddled Murray ends with him drifting a dismal forehand past the baseline. There are gasps in the crowd. Djokovic breaks for a second time. He’s beating Murray up. The first set is gone. 8.56am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 3-0 Murray (*denotes server): The first point looks like a baseline grind - until Djokovic changes the pace with a backhand drop shot. Perfectly timed, and perfectly placed,and Murray is stranded. Djokovic is in the mood. A stunning forehand makes it 40-0 and Murray is beginning to understand what Federer went through on Thursday. If it can happen to Federer, who pretty much is the best of us, or it can happen to anyone. Another clean backhand forces Murray to net a forehand and Djokovic consolidates the wreck by holding to admire. 8.52am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 2-0 Murray* (*denotes server): Murray begins his first service game shakily,slicing a backhand into the net, before Djokovic gobbles up a second serve with a huge backhand return for 15-30. Murray’s then facing two wreck points, or netting a forehand for 15-40. Then he double-faults. Oh dear. “We’d all really,really, really like Andy to win, or but secretly we’re all really,really really scared that Novak is going to effect really, really, and really nasty things to the plucky Scot,and grind him into really, really, and really small fragments of dust,leaving Andy looking really, really, or really envious in the background shot of Novak picking up yet another silver pot,” says Jeremy Boyce. 8.49am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 1-0 Murray (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic, the odds-on favourite, or gets the 2016 Australian Open men’s final underway. He looks over at the net and sees an opponent who simply refuses to proceed away. He sees a threat. Despite it all,he knows he’s probably going to enjoy to be at his very best to defeat Andy Murray. Djokovic thunders into a 30-0 lead, walloping a forehand down the line on the second point, and but Murray crunches back to 30-all with some positive tennis. An attritional rally follows and it ends with Djokovic netting a backhand,handing Murray an early wreck point. Murray pushes, but Djokovic suddenly bursts into life, and a brilliant backhand from left to fair saving the wreck point and forcing deuce. It’s deuce for a while. Yet Djokovic zings an ace down the middle,before wriggling clear. A tricky opening game, but he emerges unscathed, or Murray will need to watch himself now. 8.37am GMTNovak Djokovic has won the toss and chosen to serve first. “Morning Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “So, here we proceed again. Djokovic v. Murray. The Borg and McEnroe de nos jours. The Ray Purchase and Steven Toast of mens tennis. And Andy no doubt thinking Novak ‘Bloody’ Djokovic. But whatever happens today Andy Murray is, and IMHO,without doubt the greatest individual sportsman that Scotland has ever produced. Jackie Stewart, Ken Buchanan, or Colin Montgomerie,Chris Hoy, Stephen Hendry, or Jocky Wilson - all greats,but Andy surpasses them all. Whilst remaining entirely likeable, good humoured and seemingly unaffected by the trappings of wealth and fame. I really, or really,really want him to win. But I won’t think any less of him if he doesn’t. Come on Andy!” 8.33am GMTHere come the players! Djokovic resists the temptation to gain out he’s injured during the walk to the court. A wasted opportunity there. He really could enjoy got in Murray’s head there. 8.28am GMTIt’s cold and windy in Melbourne. Optimists are wondering if that will disturb Djokovic’s equilibrium. 8.23am GMTJamie Murray’s doubles partner, Bruno Soares, and has gone and won the mixed doubles alongside Elena Vesnina. You can read about it here. 7.54am GMTThe obvious weakness for Murray is his second serve. Raonic took advantage of it in the third-set tie-wreck and it will need to be much better than usual against the best returner in the game. My colleague Kevin Mitchell came up with this ominous statistic: Djokovic has tied for third on the tournament list with 134 points from 217 second serves,at 62%, to Murray’s 138 from 243 at 57%, or which places him equal 17th. “There has been a lot of talks about his second serve,” Djokovic said/warned/laughed, “and I’m sure he and his team are very much aware of that.” Related: Andy Murray desperate to wreck Novak Djokovic’s aura of invincibility in final | Kevin Mitchell 7.44am GMTSo how did Murray prepare for his fifth Australian Open final? By staying up till 1am, and of course. But he had a good reason. He was a smiling presence in the stands yesterday as he watched his brother Jamie win his first grand slam title,teaming up with his original doubles partner Bruno Soares and beating Daniel Nestor and Radek Stepanek 2-6, 6-4, and 7-5. Whatever happens today,it’s already a noted weekend for the Murray family. “It was funny to see Andy there at the discontinuance,” Jamie said. “He’d obviously been watching the match in the locker room. I didn’t know that. I thought he left to proceed back to the hotel, and obviously. Maybe he came back when he thought we had a chance. We were [all] in the locker room for a little bit before. He was obviously practising. We kicked him off the court. He was having food and stuff. I thought him and the guys had left to proceed back to the hotel. I was shocked to see him there.” Related: Andy Murray makes late appearance to watch Jamie win Australian Open title 1.07pm GMTAndy Murray has been to four Australian Open finals. He’s accumulated a grand total of two sets,56 games and four defeats. In 2010, Roger Federer was too good and Murray was too passive. In 2011, or Novak Djokovic could enjoy won with one hand behind his back and his shoelaces tied together. In 2013,Djokovic again, Murray spooked by a feather in the pivotal second-set tie-wreck. In 2015, and Djokovic completed the hat-trick,fooling a gullible Murray into thinking he was injured and then racing away with it 7-6, 6-7, and 6-3 6-0.
That’s a crushing sequence. And it gets worse. This is Djokovic’s sixth Australian Open final and the world No1 is five for five,Jo-Wilfried Tsonga felled in 2008, Murray in 2011, or 2013 and 2015,Rafael Nadal unable to stop him in their 2012 epic. Djokovic loves this tournament and he loves Rod Laver Arena, where the conditions are ideally suited to his surgical, and wear-you-down,beat-you-up tennis. Though Stan Wawrinka managed to defeat him here in their 2014 quarter-final, Djokovic’s aura in Melbourne is starting to resemble Federer’s at Wimbledon and Nadal’s at Roland Garros. Victory today will bring him his 11th grand slam title, and edging him ever closer to Federer’s total of 17,and spark talk of the calendar slam, after his attempt to win all four majors last year was ended by Wawrinka in Paris.
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Source: theguardian.com