Novak Djokovic became Serbia's first ever grand slam champion on Sunday after beating the unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Australian Open.
The third seed from Belgrade conceded the first set to the world number 38 but rallied to register a 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7/2) triumph in three hours and six minutes.
The victory marks the first grand slam crown for 20-year-old Djokovic, who upset world number one Roger Federer in the semi-final.
Tsonga made an uncertain start to the match, ceding his opening service game to his opponent, but Djokovic, his forehand misfiring, committed the same offence to let Tsonga off the hook.
The 22-year-old Frenchman, who defeated second seed Rafael Nadal in the last four, again had Djokovic on the ropes on his next service game, bringing up two break points that the world number three did well to repel before holding.
The match settled into a rhythm with the players holding to 4-4, but the manner in which Tsonga put himself 5-4 ahead, sending down three aces in succession, suggested that he had stolen the early psychological edge.
And so it proved in the 10th game, Tsonga racing to a 0-30 lead on the Djokovic serve and holding his nerve when the Serbian pulled level at 30-30.
But Tsonga brought up set point with a brilliant forehand winner on the next point and closed out the set with a sensational lobbed winner after chasing down Djokovic's well-placed forehand.
The second set went with serve for the first six games, although Djokovic's service game to love to bring up 3-3 suggested that he was starting to find his rhythm.
And he delivered on that in the next game as Djokovic secured a crucial break to move 4-3 ahead when Tsonga missed a forehand.
After both players held for 5-4, Djokovic pulled level in the match after racing to a 40-0 lead and claiming the set on an ace.
And Djokovic underlined the turnaround in the match in the third game of the third set, forcing break point on the Tsonga serve and wearing his opponent down with a tireless baseline rally before the Frenchman fired wide of the tramline.
Djokovic brought up two set points on the Tsonga serve at 5-3, but the Frenchman hit a winner to save the first and Djokovic netted on the second to hand Tsonga a reprieve.
But the Serbian was not to be denied and, after another set point came and went, Djokovic finally claimed the set when Tsonga's miscontrolled a forehand volley at the net.
The fourth set went with serve in the early exchanges but when Tsonga had Djokovic on the ropes at break point at 5-5, the Serbian retreated to his controversial habit of 'over-bouncing' the ball before service.
As Tsonga threatened to force his way back into the match, Djokovic bounced the ball 22 times before his service, riling Tsonga and getting the crowd on his back.
A second such incident drew jeers from the crowd and a lengthy discussion between Tsonga and the umpire, but Djokovic held his nerve to hold.
Tsonga shrugged off this moment to take the next game and force the tie-break.
Djokovic raced into a 4-1 lead in the tie-breaker, but a double fault from Tsonga stretched the gap to four points to leave the Frenchman staring into the abyss.
Tsonga held his next serve to pull back to 5-2, but Djokovic won the next point to bring up four championship points.
And he duly delivered at the first time of asking when Tsonga hit wide of the tramline to become the youngest winner of the men's title in Melbourne.
Source : www.sportinglife.com
