Serbian Novak Djokovic has levelled the Australian Open final against unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at one-set apiece, taking the second set 6-4, after losing the first by the same score.
A set down and facing intense pressure, the world number three held serve in the fourth game after being down 0-30. That game steadied Djokovic, who broke Tsonga for the first time in the match in the seventh game. At 5-4, Djokovic pulled out a game not dissimilar to Friday’s semi against Roger Federer, full of big serves. The Serbian won the game to love, levelling an abosrbing the contest.
The first set bowled along evenly, until the final two points. Serving at 4-5, Djokovic was staring at a simple put-away smash at 30-30. The Serbian struck it well enough, only for Tsonga for guess correctly, race across and uncork an obscene cross court forehand for a winner. At 30-40, Djokovic again seemed in control of the point, this time for Tsonga to speculate on a lob from so far behind the baseline, certain sections of the crowd wouldn’t have seen him, only for the ball to bounce over Djokovic’s head and just inside the baseline. The Frenchman collapsed to the ground in sheer disbelief, the crowd in raptures.
Djokovic had previously not lost a set in the tournament.
The Rod Laver Arena crowd has been pro-Tsonga, something which has riled Novak’s father Srdjan in the stands. Srdjan has repeatedly remonstrated to the patrons behind him, fuelling the crowd further.
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