There was much that was the familiar about the third Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. But there was one welcome difference: This one, finally, had some spark.
The winner was the same. Djokovic, in a roller-coaster that turned into a rout, took home his fifth Aussie Open champion’s trophy while dropping Murray to 0-4 in finals in Melbourne.
The scoreline, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0, was very similar to Djokovic’s winning 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 scoreline over Murray in the same round in 2013.
And the way in which the match unfolded was equally familiar. Two close, grinding sets to open. Lots of long, tiring rallies. Surprising turnarounds and momentum shifts. Plenty of between-point sturm and drang, as well as a few racquet bangs. Three hours and 38 minutes for four sets. And, in the end, a sprint down the homestretch by Djokovic. By the close of the third set, Murray appeared to be flailing, with steadily increasing hopelessness, against a brick wall.
It was familiar enough that Djokovic predicted how it would go way back in September, after he beat Murray in their most recent Grand Slam match, at the U.S. Open. Yesterday, in my preview of this final, I used this quote of Djokovic’s from Flushing Meadows, about what he thinks separates him from Murray at the majors, to explain why I thought he would win:
“We’re going to have a lot of long rallies and a lot of exchanges. It’s going to be physical but also mental. I get the feeling that if I get to stay with him and kind of, you know, work, work, and not get too loose and frustrated with points and not allow him to get into a big lead, I feel like there’s a point where I feel that I have that edge, you know, maybe physically.”
That about sums this one up as well. Djokovic stayed with Murray, until Murray couldn’t stay with Djokovic.
Yet this final offered more than just the traditional Muzzovician war of attrition, and until the last five games it wasn’t at all predictable.