AUS OPEN 2011: Djokovic Routs Murray for 2nd Major Title

As predicted, Novak Djokovic won his 2nd Australian Open title by defeating Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 6-3. The 23-year-old Serbian won his second major title, becoming only the fourth active player to have reached that milestone. For only the second time since Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open, someone else besides Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has won a major title (Juan Martin del Potro won the 2009 US Open). Djokovic has been stuck in the World #3 position behind the Swiss and Spanish greats, but he took advantage of  Nadal's shock defeat in the quarterfinals at the hands of David Ferrer as well as a stunningly dominant performance in the semifinals to defeat Roger Federer to reach the final.

In the final match it was pretty even after Murray escaped his first service game, saving a break point. Djokovic used his improved serve to hold his service games through the 9th game of the first set. The two played a number of long probing points and suddenly a pair of errors led an opportunistic Djokovic to start aiming for the sidelines and baselines. Suddenly Murray faced a second breakpoint which was a set point and the set was over, 6-4.

Murray reacted in the second set very badly and lost the first 5 games. Djokovic basically won 7 consecutive games from 4-all in the first set through an elevation of his level of play and a steep decline in his opponent's. Murray did well to only lose the second set 6-2.

In the third set Djokovic won an early break to go up 3-1 but Murray finally showed some fight to break back to reach parity but after another easy hold by the Serb, the Brit lost his serve and Djokovic was able to win the set 6-3 (and thus the match) on a listless forehand error by Murray on the first championship point.