Djokovic & Osaka Win at the Australian Open

Photo courtesy of Marianne Bevis's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannebevis/5972100998/in/photolist-a6JzyA-csctLm-cscsEm-csctrw-csct17-f4CWUn-nWz24z-a6Jzhy-a6JzGq-a6JyPu-a6FHJc-9ZEUDd-ohz8qG-ox2Nmj-bPFs5a-5uzT4n-a6FHgX-f52W2j-2KSf8f-f4MHoM-cJrFYL-cJrGqo-f4MDDe-a3t6Ga-cscu3h-f4MESB-f4MJya-bALMj9-a3vX3q-bALMws-a3t6Sv-bPFshK-cJrFKY-nnjmG7-a3t6yv-cJrGd9-vUQeNJ-f4MCVT-cJrFxj-a3vXjs-np5my3-nnjiL7-npmV3n-npmS96-nr8qnZ-bPFr3t-bPFqaF-bPFsDg-f52X2j-bALPWo

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The 2019 Australian Open tennis championship is now over.

On the women's side, Naomi Osaka followed up her first ever Grand Slam championship at the U.S. Open late last year with another Grand Slam title early this year. Osaka outlasted Petra Kvitová, the winner of the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon women's singles titles, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-4. Kvitová had managed to get to the final by staging a stunning comeback against Serena Williams, coming back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set to survive.

Osaka, however, proved too much for her. Osaka's power and precision proved a bit too much, as she now has won two straight Grand Slam titles. Also, with the win, Osaka has ascended to the number one ranking in women's tennis.

Over on the men's side, we had far more familiar faces, both of whom have been well-known to tennis fans for well over a decade now. The 31-year old Serbian, Novak Djokovic, who currently holds the number one ranked man in tennis, had looked incredible coming into the final, having completely dominated and quickly dispatched 28th seeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-0, 6-2, 6-2, in the semifinal. He picked up where he left off, with a surprisingly easy win over Rafael Nadal, who is normally one of the toughest, grittiest players on the men's side.

Nadal, the world's number two ranked man, was seeking his second ever Australian Open title, having won it once before back in 2009. He has made it to the final three times before prior to this tournament, and had fallen short each time, but had hoped to overcome all obstacles and win this particular Grand Slam title again, to become the first man in many decades to have won the career Grand Slam twice over (multiple wins in each Grand Slam championship).

Alas, Djokovic simply proved too much today. Djokovic was on point, playing perhaps his best tennis, and earning a third straight Grand Slam title in as many events. He defeated Nadal in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. With the win, Djokovic moves ahead of Pete Sampras on the all-time list, having earned his 15th career Grand Slam title. he is now only two behind Nadal himself for second most ever, and five behind Roger Federer, who leads the men's side historically, with 20 Grand Slams championships to his name.

Nadal reached his 25th career Grand Slam final here at the Australian Open, second only to Roger Federer, who has been to 30 Grand Slam finals on the men's side. Nadal has won 17 of those previous finals, but this was the 8th loss that he has suffered in a Grand Slam final.

Djokovic was playing in his 24th Grand Slam final, and has now won 15 Grand Slam titles in all, with seven of them coming at the Australian Open. His win here today broke a tie with Federer, as both men had each won six Australian Open titles. He is the only men's player in recent decades to have held all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, as he won four straight Grand Slams from July of 2015 until he was eliminated at Wimbledon in July of 2016. Federer had won the two previous Australian Open titles, but it should be noted that Djokovic was battling through an injury, and not playing at his best. Clearly, he has overcome those limitations, and stormed back to the very top of the tennis world, clinching the number one ranking late last year and finishing 2018 as the world's number one, the fifth time that he has achieved the year end number one ranking in his career, which ties him with Federer for second most. Currently, Pete Sampras still holds the record for most years ended with the number one ranking, with six. Obviously, this Australian Open championship is a great start for Djokovic in his pursuit of another number one ranking for this year, as well.

I have said this before, but will say it again: I believe that it is a privilege as a tennis fan to be able to witness this era, with three of the greatest tennis champions of all time competing against one another. Most likely, we will not see anything quite like this again. Already, Andy Murray has effectively dropped out of the race for greatness, announcing that he will be retiring this year. Meanwhile, Federer finally looks like age might be catching up with him just a bit.

Yet, we still have Nadal and Djokovic, and they are both clearly on top of their games. Two of the greatest champs in tennis history squaring off on Sunday. We should enjoy it while we still have it. 

One chart shows how much the Big 3 have dominated men's tennis over the last 15 years Cork Gaines and Shayanne Gal, September 10, 2018:

Alas, Djokovic simply proved too much today. Djokovic was on point, playing perhaps his best tennis, and earning a third straight Grand Slam title in as many events. He defeated Nadal in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. With the win, Djokovic moves ahead of Pete Sampras on the all-time list, having earned his 15th career Grand Slam title. he is now only two behind Nadal himself for second most ever, and five behind Roger Federer, who leads the men's side historically, with 20 Grand Slams championships to his name.