Novak Djokovic wins 18th Grand Slam title in continued Australian Open dominance

Written By admind Sunday 21 February 2021 Add Comment Edit

If Novak Djokovic makes the Australian Open final, it's all but assured he'll take it.

Djokovic, ranked No. 1 in the world, won his ninth Australian Open singles title on Sunday, defeating No. 4 Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. He's made the tournament final nine times and won every one to set a tournament record for men's Australian Open titles. Sunday's championship is a three-peat for the star.

The win is his 18th career Grand Slam, leaving him two behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record-best 20 singles titles at Grand Slams.

He has won six of the last 10 majors and will keep his No. 1 ranking through at least March 8. By then his mark of 311 weeks will break another record held by Federer, per the Associated Press.

Djokovic snaps Medvedev's 20-match win streak

Medvedev, 25, hadn't lost since October and came in to the Australian Open final on a 20-match winning streak. But Djokovic controlled the match from the start, winning 13 of the first 16 points to take a 3-0 lead.

Russia's Medvedev made it 3-all, then again knotted it at 5-all. Djokovic, 33, broke to win the set when Medvedev hit a forehand into the net as someone in the crowd yelled out.

It was Djokovic's match from there and he won 73 percent of points when his first serve hit. Medvedev made 30 unforced errors, made more glaring by Djokovic making only 17.

Djokovic, who called it a love affair with Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, then joked Medvedev might have to wait a few years, though. It was Medvedev's second Grand Slam final. He was runner-up to Nadal at the 2019 U.S. Open.