It was a complete showdown by Novak Djokovic at the finals of the Australian Open 2019. The world number 1 ripped off the masterclass of Rafael Nadal. The Serb won a record 7th Australian Open title beating the Spaniard 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

Djokovic had no problems what so ever in the 2-hour match between the two legends. Nadal was struggling and Djokovic was all over the 17-time grand slam champion. The bad luck continues for Rafa at the Australian Open. He has been fighting to win the title at the Melbourne Park for 11 years. Djokovic, on the other hand, continued his extraordinary run at the Australian Open.

It was the lack of match practice for Rafael Nadal as he agreed to the fact, “I have been a lot of months without having the chance to practice, without having the chance to compete. And have been two positive weeks. The only thing probably that I need is time and more matches.”

Physically I was not able

In the post-match interview, Nadal accorded that he was not able to have that “extra thing” tonight. He said, “was unbelievable the way that he played, no doubt about that. But at the same time is true that probably physically I was not able. I played fantastic tennis during both weeks, is true, but probably playing that well, I didn’t suffer much during both weeks. Five months without competing, having that big challenge in front of me, I needed something else. That something else probably today, I don’t have it yet. That’s my feeling, to compete at this super high level.”

“I was not able to push him”

Nadal certainly failed to put Djokovic in pressure in the whole match. He said, ”

The things that look easy for him become a little bit more difficult when you have to do it one more time, one more time and one more time. I was not able to push him to do it one more, one more, one more every time. That’s my feeling.

What I need is I need time, I need work, and I need more weeks like this one. That’s really the only thing that I hope is to have the chance to keep practicing well and to have the chance to keep playing with health conditions. Like this, I believe the level of tennis has been great.”

Did Nadal try everything?

Nadal unequivocally looked out of options against the world number 1. He acknowledged, “I try what I had. No, no, is not what I feel. No, that’s the game. You go on court, you can win, you can lose when you face players that are playing that well. You accept that somebody is able to play that well.”

Djokovic pushed me more

“I make more mistakes because he pushed more. That’s all. Is not about being more nervous. I have been normal nerves, like final of Grand Slam. But the things started so quick (snapping fingers). He was pushing me to every ball.

What on other days have been a serve and a ball that I can have in offensive position, today have been in a defensive position? That’s not nerves. That’s things that happened quicker than what happened the previous days.

I don’t like to say he played unbelievable well because looks like you find an excuse for yourself. The real thing is he played so well. He did a lot of things very difficult unbelievable well. He hit so long. His return was fantastic. He was super quick.”

It will be easier to forget this defeat than Wimbledon

“For me, was a big chance lost to win another Wimbledon. Tonight I didn’t have that chance. Is easier to forget, yes. In terms of personal satisfaction, I have a better personal satisfaction about the match of Wimbledon. But overall probably was more difficult to do the tournament that I did here than the tournament I did in Wimbledon, because in Wimbledon I came back after winning Roland Garros with big confidence, winning a lot on clay, winning a lot of matches. Is much easier to play that well. If I am healthy, everybody knows I’m a good player on grass, no?”

Nadal will hope to come back stronger as always and try to win the title next year.