The Latest: Djokovic races through first set in Aussie final
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Latest at the Australian Open on Sunday (all times local):
9:51 p.m.
Novak Djokovic has won his record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title by beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the final at Rod Laver Arena.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic raised his major trophy total to 15, behind only Roger Federer’s 20 and Nadal’s 17.
Djokovic improved to 7-0 in finals at Melbourne Park with a remarkably dominant and mistake-free performance against Nadal.
When they met in the 2012 Australian Open final, Djokovic needed 5 hours, 53 minutes to win. This time, it lasted just a bit more than 2 hours.
Djokovic finished with 34 winners and only nine unforced errors.
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9:02 p.m.
Novak Djokovic has taken a 6-3, 6-2 lead over Rafael Nadal in a surprisingly lopsided start to the Australian Open final.
The top-ranked Djokovic is potentially just one set from a men’s record seventh Australian Open title. He has won all six previous finals he has contested at Melbourne Park, including the 5 hour, 53-minute championship contest against Nadal in 2012.
Djokovic has been incredibly consistent in the first two sets, making just four unforced errors to Nadal’s 20. He has conceded just six points on his serve.
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8:22 p.m.
Novak Djokovic won 13 of the first 14 points of the Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal and took the first set 6-3 in 36 minutes.
Top-ranked Djokovic is aiming for a men’s record seventh Australian Open title. He has won all six previous finals he has contested at Melbourne Park, including the 5 hour, 53-minute championship contest against Nadal in 2012.
He conceded just one point on serve in the first set, and it wasn’t until he was serving for the set at 5-3. He clearly had Nadal off balance in an unexpectedly lop-sided start to the final.
Djokovic is aiming for a third consecutive major after winning the titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and a 15th overall.
Nadal is aiming for an 18th Grand Slam title and his second in Australia, which would make him the first man in the Open era to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice.
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7:45 p.m.
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic is serving first in the Australian Open final against No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal.
This is their 53rd meeting on tour, and the first at Melbourne Park since Djokovic won their 2012 final in 5 hours and 53 minutes.
Djokovic is aiming for a record seventh Australian title, a 15th Grand Slam trophy overall and third in a row.
For Nadal, it’s a chance to win his second title at Melbourne Park and his 18th major championship.
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5:45 p.m.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut have completed a career Grand Slam in men’s doubles by winning the Australian Open.
The French pair beat Henri Kontinen of Finland and John Peers of Australia 6-4, 7-6 (1) in Sunday’s final.
Herbert and Mahut now own four major doubles titles.
They won the U.S. Open in 2015, Wimbledon in 2016 and the French Open in 2018.
They are the eighth men’s doubles team in tennis history to win each Grand Slam tournament at least once.
Herbert and Mahut saved all four break points they faced Sunday, all while Herbert served in the fourth game of the second set.
The match’s only break came when Kontinen served at 4-all in the first set.
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5:30 p.m.
The showdown between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final is their 53rd meeting on tour.
Djokovic will be trying to win the hard-court tournament for the record seventh time. He’s also bidding for a 15th Grand Slam trophy overall and third in a row.
For Nadal, Sunday’s match is a chance to win his second title at Melbourne Park. He’ll also be eyeing an 18th major championship, which would move him within two of Roger Federer’s men’s mark.
Nadal has not lost a set in the tournament so far.
When they met in the 2012 Australian Open final, Djokovic won in 5 hours, 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam title match in history.
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More AP Tennis: https://www.apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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