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Australian Open 2019: Results, Highlights, Friday Scores Recap from Melbourne
January 25, 2019
Novak Djokovic will play for a record seventh Australian Open title in Sunday's final against Rafael Nadal after he demolished Lucas Pouille in Friday's semi-final.
The world No. 1 beat his French opponent 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 in a brilliant display to advance to his 24th Grand Slam final.
It was an even more efficient last-four display than Nadal's drubbing of Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday.
The Spaniard came through in one hour, 46 minutes, while Djokovic wrapped up victory in one hour, 23 minutes.
Men's Singles Result
(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (28) Lucas Pouille: 6-0, 6-2, 6-2
Full results and draws can be found at the Australian Open's official website.
Fatigue is unlikely to be an issue for either player in the final.
Djokovic had spent just 52 minutes on court before Kei Nishikori retired from their quarter-final clash, and he barely broke a sweat in beating Pouille.
Meanwhile, Nadal has not dropped a set all tournament:
Based on the pair's respective form, it could be one of the great finals on Rod Laver Arena.
There were suggestions from many as he beat Tsitsipas that Nadal has rarely been in better form:
And the same could be said of Djokovic, whose performance against Pouille was breathtaking, even by his own admission:
He made just five unforced errors in the entire match and just one in an opening set where he did not allow Pouille a game:
The No. 28 seed, who had never before even got past the first round at the Australian Open, finally got on the board as he held for 1-1 in the second set, but he had to produce two stunning passing shots just to take one game:
And he was a break behind again in no time as he simply could not live with Djokovic's hitting.
The victory was routine for Djokovic as he broke again to win the second set 6-2 before producing a carbon copy display in the third to take the match.
There was nothing routine about the performance, though:
The top seed has not been at his best throughout the tournament, but he seems to have found top form at the perfect moment, and he will need perfection if he is to beat Nadal.