MELBOURNE (Australia): World No.1 Novak Djokovic was unstoppable in the Australian Open final on Sunday when he thrashed Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his ninth title.
The Serb, who fought off injury during the tournament, was at this lethal best winning 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 against the fourth seed.
The victory also ensured Djokovic extend his record-breaking reign at Melbourne Park, where he didn’t give the fourth seed the opportunity to hit back.
In winning a third straight Australian Open for the second time, the Serb claimed his 18th Grand Slam title to move within two of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who have 20 each.
It was a rollercoaster ride for Djokovic, who dropped five sets en route to the final after battling an abdominal injury that nearly forced him to pull out after the third round.
Despite admitting it was a gamble to keep playing, with a risk the injury could get worse and affect the rest of his season, the 33-year-old chose to continue and it paid off.
