In what will what likely go down as one of the more memorable matches in tennis history, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic defeated Spain’s Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 on Sunday to win the Australian Open in the longest Grand Slam final of the Open Era. The top-ranked Djokovic won his third consecutive major title and third Australian Open. 
Trading punches for nearly six hours at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Nadal was aiming to retake the title he owned before, while the defending champ was intent on retaining his crown. The Spaniard took advantage of Djokovic’s understandable slow start (The Serb needed four hours and 50 minutes to beat Andy Murray in the semifinals on Friday) and took the first set.
Getting his legs back and with a better return of serve, backhand and superior court positioning, Djokovic took the next two sets. However, leading 4-3 in the fourth with triple break point on Nadal’s serve, Djokovic ending up losing the fourth in a tiebreak as Nadal stepped up his aggressive play feeding off a frenzied crowd, many waving Spanish flags.
In an atmosphere that felt like a heated Davis Cup match with all the Serbian and Spanish fans in the crowd, Nadal dug deep and actually was leading 4-2 and serving in the fifth set, but the long rallies were taking a toll. Still, it was a test of will and skill pushing each other with each baseline stroke and digging shots down in the corners.
The ebb and flow of the night’s efforts began to swing back to the 24 year-old Serb as he broke back and as both players continued to trade blows giving it all they had, trying futilely to hide their weariness in their body language.
Nadal saved a break point at 4-4 and then another at 5-5, but Djokovic converted a second break point in that 11th game of the set and then served out the match.
Not long after scoring the final blow, in a reflection of the intensity of the match, Djokovic ripped off his shirt and let out a primal scream, flexing his torso like a prize fighter letting it all out in the ring. 
“It was obvious on the court for everybody who has watched the match that both of us, physically, we took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies,” Djokovic said. “I think it was just the matter of maybe luck in some moments and a matter of wanting this more than maybe the other player in the certain point. It’s just incredible effort.”
Testing the limits of their hearts, minds, lungs and legs, in the end Djokovic continued his recent mastery over Nadal, the holder of ten major titles. This slam win made it seven straight for Djokovic against Nadal, all in finals, including the last three majors.
Time will tell but after tennis experts analyse it, this match in terms of what was on the line, should be ranked among the best grand slam finals of all-time which includes the epic Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer Wimbledon final in 2008 and the 1980 Wimbledon clash where Sweden’s Bjorn Borg defeated John McEnroe 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6.
The 2012 Men’s Australian Open Final was an instant classic between two heavyweights of tennis. 
