Australian Open: Novak Djokovic excited by Rafael Nadal final
Australian Open 2019 |
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Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 14-27 January |
Coverage: Daily live commentaries on the BBC Sport website, listen to Tennis Breakfast daily from 07:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and watch highlights on BBC TV and online. |
Top seed Novak Djokovic says he would “definitely want to buy a ticket” for Australian Open final against fellow all-time great Rafael Nadal.
The Serb, 31, meets 32-year-old Spaniard Nadal, seeded second, at 08:30 GMT on Sunday.
The pair have 31 Grand Slam titles between them and it will be their first meeting in Melbourne since an epic six-hour final in 2012, which Djokovic won.
“I’m sure we’re going to have a blast on the court,” said Djokovic, 31.
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Djokovic, a 14-time major winner, is aiming for a seventh Australian Open title that would move him clear of Roy Emerson and Roger Federer in terms of all-time victories in Melbourne.
Nadal, who would trail Federer by two if he wins his 18th Slam, could become the first man to claim a second career Grand Slam in the Open era.
Djokovic demolished France’s Lucas Pouille 6-0 6-2 6-2 in his semi-final on Friday, a day after Nadal eased past Greek 14th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the final without dropping a set.
“Rafa has looked as good as ever on the hard court throughout these few weeks,” Djokovic said.
“I haven’t played bad myself the last couple of matches. I think that this final comes at the right time for both of us.
“We can promise one thing – knowing both of us, we’re going to give absolutely everything out on the court. I think people will enjoy it.”
After seeing Nadal drop just six games against Tsitsipas, Djokovic admitted that he went into his match against Pouille trying to concede fewer games than his great rival.
And he did that by breaking the French 28th seed’s serve seven times in a victory which took just one hour and 23 minutes.
“It was hard to do that but somehow I managed it,” a smiling Djokovic said.