Ranking each of Novak Djokovic's Australian Open title wins
Novak Djokovic is among the greatest competitors in history as far as the Australian Open is concerned. The Serb has won the tournament a record nine times and won 82 out of 90 matches.
His last triumph at Melbourne Park came in 2021 where he beat Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in the title clash. The Serb could not defend his crown last year as he was deported from Australia due to his stance on COVID-19 vaccination.
Djokovic will return to the Australian Open this year and will be the heavy favorite to win the competition, given his recent form. He recently won the Adelaide International 1 by defeating Sebastian Korda in the final.
The 21-time Grand Slam winner has produced some stellar performances at the Australian Open over the years. He was part of a number of brilliant matches, some of which are among the best Grand Slam matches of all time.
On that note, let's rank each of Novak Djokovic's title wins at the Australian Open.
#1 2012 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals of the 2012 Australian Open without too many obstacles as he beat Paolo Lorenzi, Santiago Giraldo, Nicolas Mahut, Lleyton Hewitt, and then, 5th-seed David Ferrer.
The Serb's journey in Melbourne, starting from the semifinals is what made the 2012 edition a special one. Djokovic faced Andy Murray in the last four of the Australian Open and won the opening set 6-3. However, the Scot won the next two sets 6-3, 7-6(4) to take the lead in the match.
Djokovic fought back and won the next two sets 6-1, 7-5 to set up a title clash against Rafael Nadal. The Serb won the final 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 to win his third Australian Open crown.
The match lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes and is the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era.
#2 2021 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic had an impressive 2021 season, the foundation of which was laid by his run in that year's Australian Open. The Serb overcame injury during this third-round match against Taylor Fritz and beat him in five sets before triumphing over Milos Raonic to reach the quarterfinals.
Here, he defeated Alexander Zverev 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(6) before triumphing 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 over Aslan Karatsev to set up a final clash against Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic produced a dominant display to beat the Russian 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 and win his ninth Australian Open title.
#3 2013 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic reached the fourth round of the 2013 Australian Open following straight-sets wins over Paul-Henri Mathieu, Ryan Harrison, and Radek Stepanek. He faced Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round and the two played out a thrilling encounter that lasted over five hours. The Serb won 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10 to book his place in the quarterfinals.
There, he beat Tomas Berdych 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 before triumphing 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 over David Ferrer to reach the final. Djokovic faced Andy Murray in the title clash and came back from a set down to win 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2 to win his fourth Australian Open title.
The legendary Serbian player thus became the first man in the Open Era to win the Asia-Pacific Major on three consecutive occasions.
#4 2015 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic was a heavy favorite to win the 2015 Australian Open and reached the semifinals without dropping a single set. He beat Aljaz Bedene, Andrey Kuznetsov, Fernando Verdasco, Gilles Muller, and Milos Raonic to get to the final four where he was up against Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic won the opening set 7-6(1), before the Swiss leveled the match by taking the second set 6-3. The then-World No. 1 restored his lead by winning the third set 6-4, but Wawrinka won the fourth by the same scoreline to force the match into a decider.
The 35-year-old dominated the fifth set and won it 6-0 to book his place in the final. Here, he beat Andy Murray 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-0 to win his fifth Australian Open title.
#5 2016 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic started the 2016 Australian Open in dominant fashion and reached the fourth round following straight-sets wins over Chung Hyeo, Quentin Halys, and Andreas Seppi.
The Serb survived a scare from Gilles Simon, beating the Frenchman 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to seal his place in the quarterfinals. Here, he defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a semifinal clash against Roger Federer. Djokovic triumphed 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 over his great rival to book his place in the final.
The Serb beat Andy Murray and won 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(3) to win a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title.
#6 2020 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic was seeded second at the 2020 Australian Open and started the tournament with a four-set win over Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff. He then registered straight-set wins over Tatsuma Ito, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Diego Schwartzman to reach the quarterfinals.
The Serbian star beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(1) to set up a semifinal against Roger Federer. He defeated the Swiss legend 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the final.
Here, he was up against Dominic Thiem and started the match strongly by winning 6-4. The Austrian bounced back to take the next two sets 6-4, 6-2. However, Djokovic displayed his immense mental strength and won the remaining two sets 6-3, 6-4 to clinch his eighth Australian Open crown.
#7 2008 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic was seeded third at the 2008 Australian Open and reached the quarterfinals of the tournament without much trouble. Here, he defeated then-fifth seed David Ferrer 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 to set up a semifinal clash against reigning champion Roger Federer.
Djokovic registered an unprecedented straight-sets win over the Swiss to reach his second Grand Slam final where he faced Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Serb lost his first set of the tournament in the title clash but bounced back to win the next three sets and clinch his maiden Grand Slam singles title.
#8 2011 Australian Open
2011 was the year when Novak Djokovic well and truly established himself as a player who should be held in the same regard as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The 21-time Grand Slam winner had a magnificent start to the year at the Australian Open where he was the third seed.
He dropped just one set en route to the quarterfinals where he beat Tomas Berdych 6-1, 7-6(5), 6-1 to set up a semifinal clash against Roger Federer. Djokovic beat the iconic Swiss player 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-4 to reach the final where he defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to win his second Australian Open crown.
#9 2019 Australian Open
Novak Djokovic rediscovered his form during the 2018 season and reclaimed the No. 1 ranking. The Serb was heavily favored to win the 2019 Australian Open and reached the quarterfinals of the tournament following victories over Mitchell Krueger, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Denis Shapovalov, and Daniil Medvedev.
Here, he won against Kei Nishikori after the latter was forced to withdraw due to injury. The World No. 1 thrashed France's Lucas Pouille 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to set up a final clash against Rafael Nadal.
The final was expected to be tightly-contested but it was rather one-sided with Novak Djokovic winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to win a record-breaking seventh Australian Open title.