Novak Djokovic entered the record books with a clinical 6-3 6-2 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard was no match for Djokovic, who outclassed him from the very first point of the match to the last.

Novak Djokovic played us all for fools.

Tennis fans were expecting, or at least hoping for, a repeat of his and Rafael Nadal’s epic five-set, six-hour Australian Open decider in 2012 but the Serbian wanted a quick kill — and he got exactly that.

Djokovic produced a performance that will rank among the best of his career to blast his way to the title at Melbourne Park with a brutal 6-3 6-2 6-3 demolition of Nadal, creating tennis history in the process.

The World No. 1 became the first man to win the Australian Open main prize seven times — going past Roger Federer and Roy Emerson with six each — as he shocked the world with an ambush nobody saw coming.

As the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion, Djokovic also became just the third person in history to win three majors in a row three times in their career.

He needed a moment to compose himself when trying to put into words just what this victory meant to him after coming back from injury.

“Sorry, I’m just trying to contemplate on the journey in the past 12 months,” Djokovic said.

“I had the surgery exactly 12 months ago and being able to stand in front of you today and managing to win this title and three of the four slams is truly amazing. I’m speechless.”

news.com.au

BDST: 1825 HRS, JAN 27, 2019
SI