Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic the #3 seed blew through the tournament with unbelievable results. This 20 year old only lost one set the whole tournament and took down world's #1 Roger Federer. The 20-year-old Serb took the crown at the expense of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the extraordinary Frenchman, who, had he been a touch less fortunate, might have been banished from these championships by Andy Murray, the British No 1, in the first round on its opening day. That match seemed a world away from the extravagance that engulfed the Rod Laver Arena last night.

The 20-year-old Serb lifted the crown at the expense of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the extraordinary Frenchman, who, had he been a touch less fortunate, might have been banished from these championships by Andy Murray, the British No 1, in the first round on its opening day. That match seemed a world away from the extravagance that engulfed the Rod Laver Arena last night. It seemed that each match Tsonga played he seemed to get better and better. His serve held him through the tough sets and his punishing groundstrokes proved that he can play with the best of them.
On Saturday evening, the Melbourne Cricket Ground was throbbing to the latest stop on the Police tour, which drew a crowd of 35,000. It seemed as if that many people, including Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, had managed to squeeze into a place that holds a third of that number. The pulsating rhythms of the 2008 final were those generated by a couple of young men plucking and tugging at the heartstrings of those here and others, especially in Serbia and France, swaying to its every twist and turn.
Djokovic had every reason to love every minute of its length and breadth, for there is nothing quite like your first grand-slam title; no memory lives longer.
The No 3 seed had broken in the third game of the third set and, although he saved six set points in the ninth game/Tsonga succumbed when a backhand down the line - the stroke that garnered Djokovic more in terms of rallying dominance than any other - forced him into a netted forehand. Could the elder of the finalists conjure yet more magic?
His chance might have come when Djokovic looked to have injured his left thigh when chasing a drop shot. But Djokovic did not appear to be struggling, not least when he saved a break point at 5-5 in the fourth set with a reaction backhand volley. And so to a tie-break, which turned on a double fault on the sixth point, only Tsonga's second.
After 3hr 6min the Serbia had won his title and be crowned the 2008 Australian Open champion.
Novak Djokovic was at a disadvantage when he faced the big-serving Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France, at Melbourne Park yesterday. However, the Serb, despite his first serve going haywire in the second and fourth sets, managed to come out on top. After failing to win points on more than half of his serves in those two sets, the strength and consistency of his second serve ensured that he was able to secure victory.

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