Australian Open 2012 Finals: Novak Djokovic Continues Dominance over Nadal

Novak Djokovic won the 2012 Australian Open in a thrilling five-set match over Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday and has now won the tournament two years in a row. The Serbian star won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5.

The match lasted five hours and 53 minutes and became the longest Grand Slam final in history. The previous record was four hours and 54 minutes at the 1988 US Open final.

Both players battled exhaustion to put on a great show for the fans, but in the end, Djokovic dug deep and found enough strength to win the championship.

Djokovic, 24, has now won five Grand Slam singles titles in his career, including the last three going back to last year's Wimbledon. Djokovic has beaten Nadal in the last three Grand Slam finals, and their rivalry is arguably the best tennis has to offer.

With the victory in Melbourne, Djokovic will remain the world's No. 1-ranked men's tennis player.

What it Means

This was a heart breaking defeat for Nadal that he will remember for the rest of his life. He had a 4-2 advantage in the fifth and final set, but allowed Djokovic to come back in stunning fashion. Nadal had a remarkable run to the final in Melbourne and has started off an important year for him quite well.

For Djokovic this win is massive for his career, and he has now won three straight Grand Slam singles titles, a remarkable accomplishment. Djokovic has a real chance to win all four Grand Slam tournaments this season.

What's Next?

Nadal will certainly take some time to recover from this loss, and in December, he told reporters he will take a month off after the Australian Open.

Nadal has a lot of tennis ahead of him in 2012 because of the Summer Olympic Games in London. Nadal will be looking to defend his Gold Medal, as well as perform well in Grand Slam tournaments. Making sure he is well-rested is important for him, which is why he will take some time to recover physically from this phenomenal match.

Djokovic will have tremendous confidence heading into his next tournaments, and with another win over Nadal in a Grand Slam final, he now has the mental advantage in this amazing rivalry. Djokovic will certainly be the favorite in every Grand Slam tournament he enters this season and will no doubt remain the world's No. 1 ranked player.

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Nicholas Goss is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, follow him on Twitter.