Australian Open 2019 results: Novak Djokovic wins seventh title with crushing defeat of Rafael Nadal

The peerless Serb broke Nadal five times while conceding only a single break point to clinch his 15th Grand Slam title

The debate over who is the greatest player of all time will need to be reopened if Novak Djokovic continues at this rate. The 31-year-old Serb’s extraordinary resurgence took another turn here on Sunday as he claimed a record seventh Australian Open title with a thumping 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Rafael Nadal.

Nadal’s run to his 25thGrand Slam final had rekindled belief among his supporters that he might end his run of seven successive defeats to Djokovic on hard courts, but in the end this was a desperately one-sided contest.

Djokovic has won all seven of his Australian Open finals and this was his most emphatic triumph yet as he dropped just eight games. Until now his biggest victory in a Melbourne final had been when he conceded just nine games to Andy Murray in 2011.

Nadal, in contrast, suffered his heaviest defeat in a Grand Slam final and his first loss in a Grand Slam final in straight sets. His fourth successive loss in a final here was was also his worst loss in a Grand Slam tournament to Djokovic, who now leads the Spaniard 28-25 in their head-to-head record. Nadal has not beaten him on a hard court since the 2013 US Open final.

Having previously shared the record for the most Australian Open titles with Roy Emerson and Roger Federer, Djokovic is now out on his own, while his total of Grand Slam titles is up to 15, just two short of Nadal and five behind Federer. This win took him clear of his childhood idol, Pete Sampras, whose 14 Grand Slam titles was a men’s record until the American was overtaken by Federer.

It says so much about this golden era that Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are now clear at the top of the all-time list of men’s Grand Slam singles champions. They are all past the age of 30, but between them they have now won the last nine Grand Slam tournaments.

Djokovic, the youngest of the three men at 31, appears to be as fit and as hungry as ever. How soon might he replace Federer in the view of many observers as the greatest player of all time?

Hitting the ball with relentless accuracy and covering every inch of the court with his unrivalled athleticism, Djokovic was at his magnificent best, but Nadal contributed to his own downfall with a below-par display. The unforced error count told its own story: Djokovic made just nine in the match while Nadal made 28.

Djokovic took control early (EPA)

Although Nadal had restored much of his confidence by winning his first six matches here in straight sets, the fact that he had not been pushed hard at any stage did him no favours. In his first tournament for four months he was clearly unaccustomed to facing an opponent of Djokovic’s quality.

Djokovic does not have the biggest serve by any means, but Nadal never got to grips with it, particularly as the Serb was so effective with his second shot in many rallies. Nadal won only 13 points against serve in the whole match and had only one break point.

The weather has been perfect for most of this tournament and when the two men walked into Rod Laver Arena just after 7.30pm the temperature was a balmy 24C and there was barely a breath of wind.

Nadal was powerless against Djokovic's relentless hitting (AFP/Getty Images)

It was immediately clear who had the majority of the support. Despite Djokovic’s magnificent record at this tournament, which has been his most successful Grand Slam event by some margin, Nadal is a fans’ favourite the world over.

There had been much discussion before the match about the extra potency of Nadal’s serve since he remodelled his action over the winter, but the quality of Djokovic’s returns and his remarkable speed around the court put pressure on the Spaniard in almost every service game.

Djokovic, in contrast, rarely looked troubled on his serve as Nadal struggled to hit effective returns. The Serb won his first four service games to love and dropped his only point on serve in the opening set when he served at 5-3.

Djokovic has now won three Grand Slams in a row (AP)

From the very first game Nadal, under constant pressure, struggled to find any rhythm or timing on his ground strokes. Errors flowed from his racket with alarming regularity and there was even the rare sight of an “air shot” as he completely missed the ball with one forehand swing.

Even the world No 2’s attempts to stir himself into action were less than convincing as his occasional fist pumps and cries of “Vamos!” seemed to lack their usual vigour.

Djokovic broke serve at the first attempt. It was the only break of the opening set, but in truth the margin between the two men was already much greater than the scoreline might have suggested.

Djokovic's win is a seventh in Melbourne (AFP/Getty Images)

In the second set Nadal held on until he was broken in the fifth game. Djokovic won 25 of the first 26 points on his serve and although Nadal finally put his opponent under some pressure the Serb held firm.

Trailing 4-2, Nadal got to deuce on Djokovic’s serve by hitting his best shot of the night, a big forehand winner down the line, but he was unable to capitalise. Djokovic promptly broke serve again in the following game and served out for the second set in majestic fashion with three successive aces.

In the third set Djokovic broke to lead 2-1 and had to defend his only break point of the match three games later. Nadal’s netted backhand was all too typical of the Spaniard’s night.

With Nadal serving at 3-5, Djokovic created two match points with a magnificent forehand winner down the line. The Serb missed a backhand on the next point, but the match finished in appropriate fashion as Nadal hit a backhand that flew beyond the baseline.

Djokovic kisses the trophy for a record seventh time (AP)

When Djokovic won the French Open three years ago he became the first man for 47 years to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles at the same time. Having won Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open in the last six months, Djokovic will head to Roland Garros in May with the chance to repeat that feat.

If he does so, however, he will be hoping there will be no repeat of what happened after his 2016 triumph. It was after he had completed his set of Grand Slam titles by winning in Paris that Djokovic went on a run of seven Grand Slam tournaments without adding to his tally of titles.

On this showing, however, it is hard to imagine that happening again.