Novak Djokovic beats Thiem in five sets to win eighth Australian Open

vak Djokovic was looking weary and worn down. He trailed Dominic Thiem in Australian Open final -- miscues mounting, deficit growing. Djokovic did what he does, though. He refused to lose, waited for a chance to pounce and found his best tennis when absolutely necessary. Regaining his stamina and strokes, Djokovic came back to edge Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 Sunday night for an eighth Australian Open title, second in a row, and 17th Grand Slam trophy overall.

Only Roger Federer, with 20, and Rafael Nal, with 19, have won more men's Grand Slam singles trophies. A little more than six months after saving a pair of championship points against Federer en route to winning a five-set Wimbledon final, Djokovic again showed that he can't ever be counted out. This victory improved Djokovic's combined record in semifinals and finals at Melbourne Park to 16-0 and means he will return to . 1 in rankings, replacing Nal in that spot.

or man in history of tennis has won this hard-court tournament more than six times. It did t come easily this time for Djokovic, a 32-year-old from Serbia. He lost six games in a row in one stretch to Thiem, who plays a similar game and eliminated Nal in quarterfinals. Djokovic was down two sets to one. He was visited by a doctor and trainer in third set and, desperate to re-hydrate, guzzled bottles of water and energy drink. He lectured chair umpire over two calls for time violations.

This was t dominant Djokovic who me a hard-to-believe total of nine unforced errors during his straight-set triumph over Nal in final a year ago. Djokovic eclipsed that total in first set alone Sunday, with 14, and finished with 57. In end, though, he improved to 31-10 in five-set matches; Thiem fell to 8-7.

It was a physical test offering plenty of entertaining exchanges, with 61 points lasting at least nine shots apiece. Suddenly making a charge as his younger, less-experienced opponent faltered, Djokovic broke to le 5-3 in fourth set, helped by a sloppy volley into net tape, a double-fault and a b forehand by Thiem. In fifth set, ar missed forehand by Thiem let Djokovic break to go up 2-1. Djokovic faced a challenge in next game, when Thiem held a pair of break points but netted a forehand n sent a backhand passing try long. spectacle would continue for ar half-hour, approaching four-hour threshold, but that was pretty much that.

Soon, Djokovic would own silver Australian Open trophy he alrey h won in 2008, 2011-13, 2015-16 and 2019. He ds that haul to his five titles from Wimbledon, three from U.S. Open and one from French Open. Thiem, an Austrian who is 26, was appearing in his third major final. He has lost m all, including to Nal at Roland Garros each of past two years.

Thiem was trying to become first man born in 1990s to win a Grand Slam singles title and was hoping to end recent run of dominance by sport's Big Three of Djokovic, Nal and Federer. Came close. But couldn't finish job. Inste, Big Three have won 15 of past 17 Australian Opens, 13 consecutive majors overall and 56 of last 67. In dition, Djokovic himself is w first man in professional era to win a Slam title in each of three deces -- 2000s, 2010s and, w, 2020s. only or man in sport's century-plus history to do it was Ken Rosewall, with major championships in 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Djokovic keeps gaining on rivals Federer and Nal: This was his fifth trophy from past seven Slams, going 5-0 in finals in that span. 

Djokovic beats Thiem in five sets

Im credits: Australian Open(Twitter)