Serbia’s Novak Djokovic was crowned the Men’s singles champion at the 2020 edition of Australian Open after downing Austria’s Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a closely-fought final match.
World number two Novak Djokovic dominated in the first set leading the game 6-4 as both players warmed up to an overzealous crowd at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on a hot summer day.
But the 26-year-old Austrian quickly recovered and did not let any shot escape leading the second set 6-4 to make the hotly contested game bring to an evenly balanced scoreboard.
Thiem then stunned the crowd as well as Djokovic to clinch the third set 6-2 as the 32-year-old 16-times Grand Slam winner failed to return the overpowered shots and gradually ceded points.
Final was leaning handsomely towards the upstart Thiem but the senior quickly found his ground and recovered from the 2-1 trail to win the fourth set 6-3 as the clock struck 3:30 hours elapsed since the first shot.
The fifth and tie-breaker round was the absolute epitome of the competitive spirit and the fine sportsmanship that both men brought to the game. Both finalists progressed neck-to-neck never ceding more than a single point lead to each other.
But it was Djoko who triumphed, in the end, leading the fifth and final set 6-4 to claim his 17th Grand Slam and Eighth Australian Open Title victory.
Earlier in Men’s Doubles, Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram claimed the champion title dismissing wild card entrants Australians Max Purcell and Luke Saville with a 6-4, 6-2 victory
