poiuytrewq0987
01-30-2012, 03:35 AM
Australian Open: Djokovic Beats Nadal To Defend Title In Epic Final
Edmonton - January 29, 2012 - In all my years of watching this great game of tennis, I have been lucky enough to have witnessed better played matches then this year's Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal but I can't think of another match or for that matter, sporting event, that has ever had two guys lay it all on the line, as these two great champions did on Sunday in Melbourne. Everyone was hoping for another memorable final and these two warriors did not disappoint. In what was the longest Grand Slam match in open era history, Djokovic managed to defend his title in five grueling sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in a battle that took five hours and fifty-three minutes to complete. With the victory, the number one ranked Serb has now captured the last three major titles and four of the past five, dating back to last year's Aussie Open. He will now take aim at becoming the first man to win all four majors in a season, since the great Rod Laver last accomplished the feat in 1969.
http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2012/01/29/222875-australian-open-2012-mens-singles-final.jpg
Djokovic came into this one as the favourite, having beat Nadal in all six matches between the two last year...with two of them coming in the finals at Wimbledon and US Open. Both men played tough semi-finals to advance but Rafa had the easier match coming into the the final and an extra day of rest.
Neither player was great to start things off but it was Djokovic who seemed off. With his ground strokes, from both wings, continually off the mark, it allowed Nadal the opportunity to make the first move and break his counterpart in the fifth game for an early lead. Even with Djokovic struggling to find his game, the number one seed would break back and get back on serve but Nadal broke again, to go up 6-5 and then held serve to take the opening set. For a change, Rafa looked comfortable against Novak in the opening set and was winning almost 70% of the points on his first serve. While Djokovic did not serve particularly well in the opening set, he was starting to move Nadal around the court while continuing to focus on going to the left-handers backhand. The Spaniard took set number one but the Serb was starting to find the mark.
Djokovic started to make life difficult for Rafa when he serving. Nearly every return he hit found the baseline or directly at the number two seeds feet. His persistence paid off, as he ,would break Rafa in game number four, when his terrific volley skipped off the baseline to give him a 3-1 lead. The two remained on serve and with a 5-3 lead, Djokovic was serving for the set and a double fault on game point handed Nadal the service break. Unfortunately for the six- time French Open champion, he would hand give it right back when he missed his second serve badly on break point and gave Novak the set 6-4.
The Serb had found his game and was starting to impose his will on the frustrated Spaniard. He would outlast Nadal in a lengthy 20-shot rally, that resulted in another break and a 3-1 lead. The tide had turned and the talented Serb was looking unstoppable once again. He would break him one more time to go up 5-2 and served out the set at love to win it. The set only took forty-five minutes and this one appeared all but over.
http://in2eastafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Djokovic-win-Australian-Open-2012.jpg
http://cdn.everyjoe.com/files/2012/01/novak-djokovic-2012-australian-open.jpg
http://s1.torbit.com/img/79894d4d46bf9eb01fc060ccad6a406706d55e8a-Novak-Djokovic-beats-Rafael-Nadal-at-Australian-Open-2012-Finals.jpg
http://www.ourhometown.ca/sports/RS0119.php
Edmonton - January 29, 2012 - In all my years of watching this great game of tennis, I have been lucky enough to have witnessed better played matches then this year's Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal but I can't think of another match or for that matter, sporting event, that has ever had two guys lay it all on the line, as these two great champions did on Sunday in Melbourne. Everyone was hoping for another memorable final and these two warriors did not disappoint. In what was the longest Grand Slam match in open era history, Djokovic managed to defend his title in five grueling sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in a battle that took five hours and fifty-three minutes to complete. With the victory, the number one ranked Serb has now captured the last three major titles and four of the past five, dating back to last year's Aussie Open. He will now take aim at becoming the first man to win all four majors in a season, since the great Rod Laver last accomplished the feat in 1969.
http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2012/01/29/222875-australian-open-2012-mens-singles-final.jpg
Djokovic came into this one as the favourite, having beat Nadal in all six matches between the two last year...with two of them coming in the finals at Wimbledon and US Open. Both men played tough semi-finals to advance but Rafa had the easier match coming into the the final and an extra day of rest.
Neither player was great to start things off but it was Djokovic who seemed off. With his ground strokes, from both wings, continually off the mark, it allowed Nadal the opportunity to make the first move and break his counterpart in the fifth game for an early lead. Even with Djokovic struggling to find his game, the number one seed would break back and get back on serve but Nadal broke again, to go up 6-5 and then held serve to take the opening set. For a change, Rafa looked comfortable against Novak in the opening set and was winning almost 70% of the points on his first serve. While Djokovic did not serve particularly well in the opening set, he was starting to move Nadal around the court while continuing to focus on going to the left-handers backhand. The Spaniard took set number one but the Serb was starting to find the mark.
Djokovic started to make life difficult for Rafa when he serving. Nearly every return he hit found the baseline or directly at the number two seeds feet. His persistence paid off, as he ,would break Rafa in game number four, when his terrific volley skipped off the baseline to give him a 3-1 lead. The two remained on serve and with a 5-3 lead, Djokovic was serving for the set and a double fault on game point handed Nadal the service break. Unfortunately for the six- time French Open champion, he would hand give it right back when he missed his second serve badly on break point and gave Novak the set 6-4.
The Serb had found his game and was starting to impose his will on the frustrated Spaniard. He would outlast Nadal in a lengthy 20-shot rally, that resulted in another break and a 3-1 lead. The tide had turned and the talented Serb was looking unstoppable once again. He would break him one more time to go up 5-2 and served out the set at love to win it. The set only took forty-five minutes and this one appeared all but over.
http://in2eastafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Djokovic-win-Australian-Open-2012.jpg
http://cdn.everyjoe.com/files/2012/01/novak-djokovic-2012-australian-open.jpg
http://s1.torbit.com/img/79894d4d46bf9eb01fc060ccad6a406706d55e8a-Novak-Djokovic-beats-Rafael-Nadal-at-Australian-Open-2012-Finals.jpg
http://www.ourhometown.ca/sports/RS0119.php