Djokovic beats Nadal to clinch his seventh Australian Open title

Novak Djokovic exults after beating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final at Melbourne yesterday

Novak Djokovic said he played his "best final in a Grand Slam" to win a record magnificent seventh Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 rout of Rafael Nadal yesterday. "It's one of the best, if not the best, matches I've played in a Grand Slam final," the Serbian World No. 1 said after winning his 15th major title in just two hours four minutes.

The demolition of second seed Nadal put Djokovic, 31, out on his own ahead of Roger Federer and Roy Emerson, who both won six Australian Open men's singles titles. The top seed dropped to his knees and kissed the ground after vanquishing his greatest rival.

Djokovic and Nadal with their respective trophies. Pic/Getty Images

"It's quite unreal we are still playing at this level and still competing for the biggest titles in sport and it's just an amazing evening," he said, pausing frequently to hold back his emotions. "Under the circumstances, maybe this is the best quality tennis I have played against Rafa in a final. I'm just trying to contemplate on the journey in the last 12 months. I had the surgery exactly 12 months ago," he added, referring to an elbow operation that saw him slump out of the world's top 20 before bouncing back to win Wimbledon and the US Open. "To be standing now here in front of you today and managing to win this title and three out of four Slams, this is amazing. I am speechless."

Djokovic said a fast start had always been his plan. "[It was] exactly what I intended to do, to step out and bring on the intensity because I knew there would be intensity waiting for me on the other side." The Spaniard had not lost a set and had not had his service broken since the third set of his first round match but that streak ended in a flash as the Serb came sprinting out of the blocks. "I definitely needed a good start, we had both been playing well coming into the match. I knew I had a good chance if could dictate the play," said Djokovic.

The pair's only previous final in Australia, in 2012, developed into a record-breaking five-hour-33-minute slugfest - the longest in Grand Slam history. A repeat of that epic never materialised with Nadal uncharacteristically nervous at the start and Djokovic taking an immediate advantage that he would never relinquish.

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