His aura of invincibility shattered, Novak Djokovic concedes he can no longer rely on his “slight mental edge” over Andy Murray to prevail in the pair’s eagerly awaited Australian Open final trequel on Sunday night.
Djokovic has won all four of his previous Open finals, including two over Murray in 2011 and 2013, while his Scottish challenger also lost the 2010 title match at Melbourne Park to Roger Federer.
To raise the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, Murray must rewrite history as the first man to bounce back and reign after three sapping finals defeats.
Djokovic is also drawing confidence from beating Murray in seven of eight encounters over the past two years.
Murray, though, has won the matches that matter most, conquering his great Serbian rival in the 2013 Wimbledon final and 2012 US Open decider after breaking Djokovic’s mental and physical hold in their London Olympics gold medal showdown.
“The record I have in finals against him here in Australia, we played couple times, can serve maybe as a slight mental edge – but not much,” Djokovic said ahead of the 24th instalment of a career rivalry that stretches back to the duo’s early juniors days.
“I don’t think he’s going to feel that on the court. I’m sure he’s going to be very motivated to win his first title here.
“I’m going to, of course, give my best that that doesn’t happen.
“There’s no clear favourite.”
Djokovic knows Murray is a different beast now he’s shaken the grand slam gorilla off his back.
“He’s going for the shots,” said the world No.1.
“He’s one of the best defenders in the game, no question about it. He is an incredible counter-puncher.
“He’s got a lot of variety in his game. He’s got also a big serve. I think if he serves well, that’s a huge, let’s say, confidence boost and advantage for him.
“He feels that he’s more relaxed on the court and he can swing through his shots from the baseline.
“I think his forehand has improved, judging by the matches he has played, the matches during these couple weeks compared to a few months ago.”
Djokovic suffered physically in his five-set semi-final triumph over vanquished defending champion Stan Wawrinka on Friday night, but promised to be primed again on Sunday.
“There’s no question about it,” the top seed said.
“Some points of the match I did struggle physically to recover for the next one because I run a lot and he was getting a lot of balls back in play.
“But nothing that will worry me. I’m sure that I’ll be fit and ready for the finals.”
Apart from the $3.1 million winner’s purse, there is much at stake for the two combatants.
Djokovic is striving to become the first man in the open era to win the Open five times and can join Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Ken Rosewall and Fred Perry as an eight-times major champion as he continues his climb up the all-time grand slam leaderboard.
“It would mean everything, of course,” Djokovic said.
“Getting to the finals is already a great achievement, but now this is the match for which you have worked for now two months. This is where you want to be.”
A Melbourne Park breakthrough for Murray would leave the 27-year-old, like Djokovic, needing “only” a French Open crown to complete a rare career grand slam.
“I’ll go in with best tactics possible, prepare well and, yeah, all I can do is give my best,” Murray said.
“If it’s enough, great. If not, I literally couldn’t have done anything more to put myself in a better position come Sunday.”
HOW NOVAK DJOKOVIC AND ANDY MURRAY MATCH UP FOR THEIR AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL ON SUNDAY NIGHT:
1-NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB) leads 6-ANDY MURRAY (SCO) 15-8
Djokovic leads 4-2 in grand slams
2014 Paris Masters, hard, QF, Djokovic 7-5 6-2
2014 Beijing, hard, SF, Djokovic 6-3 6-4
2014 US Open, hard, QF, Djokovic 7-6 6-7 6-2 6-4
2014 Miami Masters, hard, QF, Djokovic 7-5 6-3
2013 Wimbledon, grass, F, Murray 6-4 7-5 6-4
2013 Australian Open, hard, F, Djokovic 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2
2012 World Tour Finals, London, RR, Djokovic 4-6 6-3 7-5
2012 Shanghai Masters, hard, F, Djokovic 5-7 7-6 6-3
2012 US Open, hard, F, Murray 7-6 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2
2012 London Olympics, grass, SF, Murray 7-5 7-5
2012 Miami Masters, hard, F, Djokovic 6-1 7-6)
2012 Dubai, hard, SF, Murray 6-2 7-5
2012 Australian Open, hard, SF, Djokovic 6-3 3-6 6-7 6-1 7-5
2011 Cincinnati Masters, hard, F, Murray 6-4 3-0 retired
2011 Rome Masters, clay, SF, Djokovic 6-1 3-6 7-6
2011 Australian Open, hard, F, Djokovic 6-4 6-2 6-3
2009 Miami Masters, hard, F, Murray 6-2 7-5
2008 Cincinnati Masters, hard, F, Murray 7-6 7-6)
2008 Toronto Masters, hard, QF, Murray 6-3 7-6
2008 Monte Carlo Masters, clay, R16, Djokovic 6-0 6-4
2007 Miami Masters, hard, SF, Djokovic 6-1 6-0
2007 Indian Wells Masters, hard, SF, Djokovic 6-2 6-3
2006 Madrid Masters, clay, R16, Djokovic 1-6 7-5 6-3
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Age: 27
Born: May 22, 1987; Belgrade, Serbia
Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Height: 188cm
Weight: 80kg
Ranking: 1
Career-high ranking (July 2011)
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US72,403,908 ($A93.35 million)
Career titles: 48
Career win-loss record: 612-141
Grand slam win-loss record: 206-33
Grand slam titles: 7 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013; Wimbledon 2011, 2014; US Open 2011)
Australian Open win-loss record: 49-6
Best Australian Open performances: champion 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013
Coaches: Marian Vajda and Boris Becker
ROAD TO FINAL
1st rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-3 6-2 6-4
2nd rd: bt Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-0 6-1 6-4
3rd rd: bt 31-Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 7-6 6-3 6-4
4th rd: bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 6-4 7-5 7-5
QF: bt 8-Milos Raonic (CAN) 7-6 6-4 6-2
SF: bt 4-Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 7-6 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-0
ANDY MURRAY
Age: 27
Born: May 15, 1987; Dunblane, Scotland
Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Height: 190cm
Weight: 84kg
Ranking: 6
Career-high ranking: 2 (2009)
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US34,190,085 ($A44.08 million)
Career titles: 31
Career win-loss record: 487-151
Grand slam win-loss record: 140-33
Grand slam titles: 2 (US Open 2012; Wimbledon 2013)
Australian Open win-loss record: 39-9
Best Australian Open performances: finalist 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
Coach: Amelie Mauresmo
ROAD TO FINAL
1st rd: bt Yuki Bhambre (IND) 6-3 6-4 7-6
2nd rd: bt Marinko Matosevic (AUS) 6-1 6-3 6-2
3rd rd: bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-1 6-1 7-5
4th rd: bt 10-Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-4 6-7 6-3 7-5
QF: bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-3 7-6 6-3
SF: bt 7-Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-7 6-0 6-3 7-5
