Djokovic ‘proud to be part of history’ as win against Nadal becomes longest grand slam final on record

The Serbian cemented his place at the head of men’s tennis with an epic 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 triumph, achieved in five hours and 53 minutes, the longest grand slam final in history and the longest match at this tournament.

It also maintained his domination over Nadal – he has won their last seven meetings – and made him just the fifth man to win three successive grand slam crowns following his victories last year at Wimbledon and the US Open.

It was a remarkable match which swung one way and then another and developed into a test of endurance as much as skill.

In the end, Djokovic edged it, falling to the floor in celebration before ripping off his shirt.

“Wimbledon is right up there because it was the tournament I always wanted to win but this comes out on top because we played for almost six hours – it was incredible,” he said.

“It was the longest grand slam final of all time. Just hearing that fact makes me cry. I am very proud to be a part of history, to be among the elite group of players who have won this trophy several times.

“I had a lot of chances to win it in four sets but he deserved to prolong it and then really both of us could have won the match, it could have gone either way.”

Nadal claimed the first set after a second break handed him a 5-4 lead which he consolidated only for Djokovic to up his game markedly in the second.

His booming forehand was starting to land and a break for 3-1 meant he was in position to serve for the set at 5-3 only to falter. Nadal broke back but then immediately surrendered his serve tamely, a double fault handing Djokovic the game and the second set.

The feeling the match was turning Djokovic’s way strengthened as he continued to bully his opponent, who was relying on errors for points.

He broke for 3-1 and again at 5-2 with Nadal seemingly on the wane.

But the Spaniard started the fourth with renewed purpose, in particular on the forehand side.

He had to see off three break points to make it 4-4 as Djokovic threatened once more before the rain which had been forecast finally arrived, forcing the players to take a short break while the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed.

It went to a tie-break which ebbed and flowed with Nadal hitting back from 5-3 down to claim a set point at 6-5 and he clinched it when Djokovic put a forehand into the tramlines.

Both men had worked hard to get to the final – Djokovic requiring four hours and 50 minutes to get past Andy Murray and Nadal three hours and 42 minutes to see off Roger Federer.

Nadal’s match had taken place 24 hours earlier and in the early stages of the fifth the Spaniard seemed to have a greater spring

in his step. He claimed the first break of the decider to move 4-2 up but the match swiftly took another turn, Nadal missing a routine backhand at 30-15 with Djokovic subsequently breaking back straight away.

The sheer physical effort required by both players was evident in the first point of the ninth game when a 31-shot rally ended with Djokovic sending a backhand long before dropping to the floor in exhaustion.

But the Serbian rallied for one last physical effort, capitalising on a tired sliced backhand from Nadal to break for 6-5.

Nadal was not done and he had a break point himself with Djokovic serving for the match.

But Djokovic completed an astonishing win leaving Nadal to comment: “It was one of the toughest matches of my career.”