In January, Novak Djokovic secured his place in the Australian Open final for the tenth time, clinching a solid 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Tommy Paul in a match lasting two hours and 21 minutes. Despite Tommy’s commendable performance in his first Major semi-final, Djokovic secured a late break in the opening set, breaking through Paul’s resistance and dominating the subsequent sets. This marked Djokovic’s 33rd Major final.
Throughout the match, Djokovic faced two breaks but managed to steal half of the return points and executed seven breaks to emerge victorious. While Tommy had the advantage in more advanced exchanges, Djokovic reversed the situation in shorter and mid-range rallies. Despite a somewhat shaky performance in the first set, marked by loose shots and a dispute over a time violation, Djokovic successfully avoided an early setback.
In the second game, Djokovic broke Paul at 15 after the American’s loose backhand, extending his lead to 3-1 by forcing an error in the next game. Djokovic’s solid play in sets two and three, marked by more winners than unforced errors, ultimately secured his position in the Australian Open final.
Novak Djokovic advanced to yet another Australian Open final with a victory over Tommy Paul.
Novak Djokovic secured a pivotal hold after deuce in game five and capitalized on Tommy’s wayward forehand, obtaining another break in the subsequent game. Despite losing serve at 5-1 due to a netted forehand on a set point, Djokovic rebounded in the second set. In an intense eighth game, Tommy held at love, closing the gap to 5-5 after securing a break in the extended rally at 3-5. However, Djokovic responded strongly, holding at love for a 6-5 advantage. Serving to stay in the set, Tommy committed a forehand error, conceding the set to Djokovic after 58 minutes.
Set two saw Djokovic facing a challenging service game, defending three break points before establishing a 3-0 lead. The Serb continued his dominance, securing another break in the fourth game and firing an ace for a 5-0 lead. Djokovic claimed the set 6-1, showcasing a solid performance.
In the third set, Djokovic capitalized on the third break chance, securing a 3-0 advantage. He maintained his momentum, firing a service winner in the second game and clinching another break in the next for a 4-0 lead. Djokovic showcased his skills with a backhand down the line winner in the fourth game, defending a break point and landing a service winner for 5-0. Despite a resilient hold from Tommy, Djokovic sealed the match with a love hold at 5-2, advancing to his tenth Australian Open final.
