Novak Djokovic wins Australian Open

30/01/2012

Novak Djokovic has retained his Australian Open tennis title after the longest grand slam final in history.

Fans enjoying Wimbledon hospitality this summer may be set to see a repeat of 2011 as the Serb showed he is determined to match last year's incredible achievements, with his 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 victory continuing his run of success against Rafael Nadal.

Before Wimbledon, however, Djokovic will seek to win the French Open - a tournament Nadal has dominated on the clay - to hold all four major titles at the same time, a feat only previously managed by Australian great Rod Laver, who accomplished it twice.

Laver told the Australian Open website the Serb's supreme fitness is what gives him the edge in long matches like his epics against Andy Murray and then Nadal.

"If you're the fittest and you're capable of playing five sets, you get into the fifth set, you're going to win 90 per cent of them if you're fitter than the other person," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka won the women's title with a straight sets win in the final against Maria Sharapova.

By Liz Johnstone