Throwback: Six years ago, Djokovic inflicted Nadal's heaviest defeat

In a match that, from start to finish, resembled a masterclass solo performance rather than a clash between two great rivals, Novak Djokovic triumphed in straight sets – 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

With this victory, Novak Djokovic became the undisputed record holder for most Australian Open titles, surpassing Roy Emerson and Roger Federer, with whom he had previously shared the top spot. This was his 15th Grand Slam trophy and his third in a row.

The final at Rod Laver Arena lasted just over two hours. During that time, Djokovic played an almost flawless match – he lost only 13 points on his serve, hit 34 winners with just 9 unforced errors, while Nadal had 28 unforced errors.

From the opening set, Djokovic set a pace that Nadal couldn't match. With an early break and varied play, he neutralized the Spaniard, who was making errors on his forehand, while Djokovic served securely and accurately. He didn't lose a point on serve until the ninth game when he was already serving for the set.

Rafael Nadal started the second set a bit more confidently, but Djokovic broke serve in the fifth game and quickly doubled his advantage with a furious run. Nadal didn't have a single break point opportunity throughout the match, and every attempt to come back was thwarted by the Serb's brilliant returns.

The third set continued in the same vein. Djokovic broke early again, and then once more towards the end, sealing one of his best Grand Slam final performances.

For this victory, Djokovic earned 2,000 ATP points and a check for 4,100,000 Australian dollars (a little over 2.5 million euros).