Novak Djokovic won his eighth Australian Open title and 17th Grand Slam

A look at how Novak Djokovic became a 17-time Grand Slam champion following his eighth Australian Open triumph on Sunday.

Djokovic battled back from two sets to one down to defeat Austria's Dominic Thiem in five sets to make yet more history in Melbourne.

We chart Djokovic's journey to the top echelons of the sport and his Grand Slam-winning success stories...

The start

Djokovic turned professional in 2003, when he was still a teenager, after a junior career which saw him reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

First Grand Slam appearance

Two years later he made his first Grand Slam appearance Down Under, where he was defeated by eventual champion Marat Safin.

Friends and rivals

Djokovic teamed up with his good friend Andy Murray, who would go on to become a great rival at the Grand Slams, for the men's doubles at the 2006 Australian Open.

Maiden Tour title

The Serb celebrated winning his first ATP title at the Dutch Open in Amersfoort with a silver-plated iPod and some flowers.

Off-court requests

As the titles came, so were demands for more promotional shoots - like this one in Monte Carlo ...

... and this fashion show which was part of the Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament.

Consistent performer

More trophies quickly followed ... like this one at the ATP Vienna Open in 2017 after victory against Stan Wawrinka.

Maiden Grand Slam title

Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to earn his first Grand Slam singles title at the 2008 Australian Open ...

... but he had to wait until 2011 before lifting his second major title, beating Murray at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

First Wimbledon triumph

In the summer he landed his first Wimbledon title after beating defending champion Rafael Nadal.

Total domination

Top seed Djokovic secured the US Open to claim three of the four Grand Slams that year.

Melbourne joy

The man known as the 'Serbinator' earned yet more success Down Under in 2012.

He made it three in a row at the Australian Open in 2013 when he beat Murray.

Second best

Djokovic was a runner-up, after defeat in the 2012 French Open final, once again to his arch nemesis Nadal at the 2013 US Open.

The Serb was once again succumbed by the Spaniard in the final of the French Open in 2014.

Back to winning ways

Having lost his previous three major finals, Djokovic hired Boris Becker, and walked away with his second Wimbledon title in 2014.

More success Down Under

Djokovic becomes a five-time Australian Open champion and an eight-time Grand Slam winner after beating Murray in the final.

From dejection to joy

After losing out in the French Open final for the third time in disappointing fashion, he returned to Wimbledon to claim his third title and ninth Grand Slam crown by beating Roger Federer.

At home in the Big Apple

Djokovic celebrates his second US Open title and 10th major after defeating Federer at the US Open.

Sixth Melbourne success

Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after beating Murray to win in Australia for a sixth time.

Career Grand Slam

Djokovic finally ended his wait for a Roland Garros title by beating Murray in the showpiece to complete the career Grand Slam and hold all four major titles.

Lucky No 13

Twelve months on from retiring from his quarter-final encounter with Tomas Berdych, Djokovic returned to the winners' circle with an assured victory against Kevin Anderson to capture his first major championship success since the French Open in 2016.

Level with Pistol Pete

A couple of months later and he collected his 14th Grand Slam title and second in a row by defeating 2009 champion Del Potro 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 as his form resembled the machine that held all four major titles at the same time in 2016.

One of the great performances

Djokovic needed just two hours and four minutes to claim a 6-3 6-2 6-3 victory and a 15th Grand Slam crown as he destroyed Rafael Nadal to separate him from the tie he was in with Roy Emerson and Roger Federer, while he became the first man to win three successive major titles on three different occasions.

Just Great in Melbourne

A year on and Djokovic underlined his status as the king of Melbourne Park by overhauling Dominic Thiem 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 to clinch an eighth Australian Open crown and reclaim the world No 1 ranking in the process.

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