Djokovic secures fifth Australian Open title

Djokovic has sealed the victory on the second match-point, rushing to the net with a searing approach shot

Novak Djokovic has reasserted his rule over the hard-courts of Melbourne Park on

Sunday, grinding down Andy Murray 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 to win his fifth Australian Open title.

The pair waged a fierce baseline duel for the opening two sets, but Djokovic won 12
of the last 13 games to close out an emphatic win and become the first man in the
professional era to secure five titles at Melbourne Park.Top seed Djokovic sealed the victory on the second match-point, rushing to the net with a searing approach shot that Murray could only dump into the net.

The steely-eyed Serb roared in triumph and approached his player’s box to share the winwith his team before tearing off his shirt and throwing it into the crowd.

The loss was Murray’s fourth in a final at Melbourne Park and third to Djokovic after the2011 and 2013 finals.

In a slow-burning contest, the pair set the tone from the first point with a fierce rallyfeaturing scrambling, net-rushes and a Murray lob before the Scot forced an error fromthe Serb.Murray failed to capitalise on three early break points and Djokovic made him pay,leaping to a 4-1 lead.

But in the first of many momentum shifts, the Scot clawed back to 4-3 when Djokovic netted an ambitious backhand down the line. Agency