Here’s a report on Novak Djokovic’s demolition of Lucas Pouille. I’ll be in the chair for the world No1’s dust-up with Rafael Nadal on Sunday, while James Piercy will have live coverage of the women’s final between Naomi Osaka and Petra Kvitova tomorrow. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Another pointer: Nadal hasn’t beaten Djokovic on a hard court since the 2013 US Open final. Djokovic has won their last seven matches on hard courts.
It will be Novak Djokovic’s seventh Australian Open final. He’s yet to lose one, which makes him the favourite against Rafael Nadal, even though the Spaniard’s been in scorching form in Melbourne. Djokovic leads the head-to-head 27-25, triumphed in their semi-final at Wimbledon last year and has won eight of their last 10 matches.
Novak Djokovic is asked about playing Rafael Nadal. “First of all I would definitely want to buy the ticket for that match. We have different rules this year with the super tie-break so I don’t think we will go as far as in 2012. Hopefully the outcome will be good for me.”
Novak Djokovic is asked about his family. “My son is not watching me. He is going to pre-school. I talked with him before my match. He was telling me about Spiderman. He tells me good luck and make sure you win.”
Novak Djokovic is asked about his comeback in the last year. “It was highly unlikely 12 months ago that I would be where I am today. But I said it before, I always had plenty of belief in myself and self-belief is something that always prevails.”
Novak Djokovic speaks! “It’s definitely one of the best matches I ever had on this court. Everything worked the way I imagined it before the match. A tough one for Lucas, but he had a great tournament and I wish him all the best for the rest of the season. He has the quality to be a top 10 player. It was his first semi-final and the occasion is different. He is going to get more matches in the latter stages of grand slams.”
Lucas Pouille makes his way off court, well beaten and probably in need of plenty of alone time. Novak Djokovic is through to yet another Australian Open final. He plays Rafa Nadal.
Novak Djokovic beats Lucas Pouille 6-0, 6-2, 6-2!
More errors from Pouille hand Djokovic a 15-30 lead. Pouille nets a forehand to give Djokovic two match points. The Frenchman hangs his head. Then he lifts it and saves the first with a big forehand at the net. 30-40. But it’s a temporary reprieve. Pouille nets a backhand and it’s all over. Not that it ever really began.
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Third set: Djokovic* 6-0, 6-2, 5-2 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic knocks an easy forehand down the line for 30-0. It’s not long before he holds to love. Mercifully this forgettable match is almost over.
Third set: Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 4-2 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille holds!
Third set: Djokovic* 6-0, 6-2, 4-1 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic wants this done as quickly as possible. No point hanging around when he has to face Nadal on Sunday. He holds to love.
Third set: Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 3-1 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille comes up with a very good backhand to keep Djokovic at bay at 40-30. “Bravo,” Djokovic says - before making it deuce with a vicious backhand. Then Djokovic comes up with some outstanding defence to draw Pouille into an errant forehand. Break point. Pouille nets a forehand.
Third set: Djokovic* 6-0, 6-2, 2-1 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love. He has hit an untouchable level.
Third set: Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 1-1 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille holds easily enough, which wakes up the crowd for a bit.
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Third set: Djokovic* 6-0, 6-2, 1-0 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to 30.
Novak Djokovic wins the second set 6-2; he leads 6-0, 6-2!
Though Pouille finds some resolve, fighting from 15-30 to 40-30, the game goes to deuce after a razor sharp forehand from Djokovic, who soon earns a set point. Pouille sends a backhand wide. We’ve only been going for 56 minutes. This is lamentable.
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Second set: Djokovic* 6-0, 5-2 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic races into a 40-0 lead thanks to a clever volley. He holds to love. Pouille will serve to stay in the set.
Second set: Djokovic 6-0, 4-2 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille holds to 15, not that it really seems to matter at this point.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-0, 4-1 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love. That’s all you’re getting.
Second set: Djokovic 6-0, 3-1 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille should win the first point, only to get himself in a muddle with a volley off a running Djokovic forehand. He makes up for it by winning the next two points, an ace making it 30-15. Yet the game goes to 30-all and Djokovic earns a break point when Pouille nets a backhand pass. Pouille rushes and double-faults.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-0, 2-1 Pouille (*denotes server): Pouille makes himself feel even better with a lovely backhand down the line, but Djokovic is always in control of the game, moving to 40-15 with an ace. He holds to 30 with an ace.
Second set: Djokovic 6-0, 1-1 Pouille* (*denotes server): Pouille holds to 15, beating Djokovic with a brilliant forehand pass! Maybe the match has started! Pouille’s on the board! It’s taken half an hour, but he’s on the board!
Second set: Djokovic* 6-0, 1-0 Pouille (*denotes server): You have to feel for Pouille. Rather him than me out there. And let’s not forget that Djokovic has meted out similar treatment to Federer and Murray on this court in the past. He’s just unstoppable when he’s in this mood.
Novak Djokovic wins the first set 6-0!
Serving to stay in the set, Pouille can only watch in awe as Djokovic pings a stunning backhand return down the line for 15-30. Djokovic’s return is on. Another sets him up to pummel a forehand down the line for two set points. A bit of complacency sets in and Djokovic wastes the first with a poor backhand drop shot. But it’s relentless. It’s not long before Pouille wafts a forehand miles off target and the set’s over in 23 minutes. Someone give him a hug.
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First set: Djokovic* 5-0 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic wrongfoots Pouille with a brilliant backhand for 15-0. The applause from the crowd is a bit subdued, though. They want to see a contest, but this is a ruthless demolition. Djokovic lashes a forehand away to hold to love.
First set: Djokovic 4-0 Pouille* (*denotes server): The deflating thing is Pouille isn’t playing badly. But Djokovic is all over him at 30-all, spanking a forehand into the right corner to earn a break point. Pouille’s serve comes to his aid to force deuce. But Djokovic grabs a second chance. Pouille whacks a forehand long. This is absurd.
First set: Djokovic* 3-0 Pouille (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love to consolidate the break. This is not encouraging.
First set: Djokovic 2-0 Pouille* (*denotes server): This is such an important game for Pouille, who can’t afford to let Djokovic establish an early lead. Yet he isn’t making first serves. Djokovic moves to 15-30 - and then Pouille slaps a forehand into the net to give up two break points.But he saves the first with a big serve and then whacks an ace out wide to force deuce. He isn’t out of the woods yet, though, and Djokovic earns a third chance with a curling forehand down the line. This time Pouille nets a first serve. Feeling the heat, he goes for too much on a reckless second serve and fires it long. Djokovic breaks straight away. Oh dear.
First set: Djokovic* 1-0 Pouille (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic, who’s won his last 27 grand slam matches against Frenchmen, opens the serving. He wins the first point - but Lucas Pouille is keen to assert himself straight away, making it 15-all with a precise forehand, then moving to 15-30 with a deft volley. This is good attacking play from the underdog. The game goes to deuce, Djokovic finding himself under surprise early pressure. Yet the world No1 digs in to hold serve.
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Lucas Pouille is coached by Amelie Mauresmo, Andy Murray’s old coach. Here’s what he has to say about her.
Here come the players. Lucas Pouille first, then Novak Djokovic, who knows the drill here.
These two have never met before. So there you go. If Lucas Pouille wins he will be the first Frenchman to reach a grand slam final since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reached the final of this tournament in 2008 - and lost to Novak Djokovic, who collected the first of his 14 majors with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 win.
Good news for Australia!
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Novak Djokovic’s training session ahead of the Australian Open final. His hitting partner today is Lucas Pouille, a lucky 24-year-old Frenchman, and ... no, this is too harsh. Too presumptuous, even. This is sport, after all, and it pays to expect the unexpected. Anything can happen, even extraordinary things, even though it seems inevitable that Pouille is set to go the same way as the unfortunate Stefanos Tsitsipas, who suffered badly at the hands of Rafael Nadal in yesterday’s semi-final. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves: nothing’s written in stone yet.
That’s what Pouille has to keep in mind as he steels himself for his first ever major semi-final. Everybody knows the 29th seed is a rank outsider, that realistically he stands little chance of toppling Djokovic, the world No1 and the champion here on six occasions. The likeliest scenario is a comfortable Djokovic win, probably in straight sets, leaving him nice and fresh for another epic battle with Nadal on Sunday. The awesome Serb is in good nick after an easy quarter-final against Kei Nishikori and remains the man to beat as he bids for a third consecutive grand slam title. Yet Pouille is an elegant player who can draw on the memory of beating Nadal at the US Open in 2016. He impressed in his quarter-final against Milos Raonic and has the talent to ensure this isn’t a one-off. Yet whether he has enough to deal with a genius like Djokovic is another matter altogether – and it’s difficult not to think we already know the answer to that question.
Play begins at 8.30am GMT and 7.30pm in Melbourne.
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