Djokovic hits hat-trick, Australians win mixed doubles after eight years

MELBOURNE, Jan 27, 2013 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Novak Djokovic won his third consecutive Australian Open title here on Sunday while Australian pair took the mixed doubles title after eight years' waiting.

World No.1 Djokovic of Serbia defeated US Open champion Andy Murray in four sets for the title, which is also his fourth one at the Melbourne Park.

The 25-year-old Serb used three hours and 40 minutes to win 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 6-3 and 6-2, and denied Murray's hope of a back-to-back second Grand Slam win.

After losing an opening set he probably should have won, with five break points to none for Murray, Djokovic turned the tables in the second set by grabbing the tiebreak.

Murray then required a medical treatment for blisters at the changeover and failed to capitalise on 0-40 at the start of the third set. He then began to grimace between points, clearly struggling to move freely.

It was Djokovic who took the first break of serve after two hours and 52 minutes' absorbing but rarely thrilling tennis.

A thumping forehand into the corner set him on the way at 4-3, and despite saving two break points from 0-40, Murray could not resist any longer and netted a forehand.

Djokovic went on a run of eight out of nine games as he moved two sets to one up and the Scot's serve unravelled, the double-fault count rising to five after just two in his other six matches in Melbourne.

Unhappy with the umpire for not clamping down on shouts from the crowd, and with his movement hindered, Murray cut a dispirited figure as Djokovic powered towards another major win.

With six Grand Slam victories, he matches the likes of Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Don Budge and Jack Crawford in the all-time list, while his rival lost in his all three appearances in the final of the Australian Open.

After Scott Draper and Samantha Stosur won the mixed doubles title in 2005, Jarmila Gajdosova and Matt Ebden became the latest host players to take the title.

The Australian pair beat Czech duo Frantisek Cermak and Lucie Hradecka 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 13 minutes.

Ebden and Gajdosova took control when Hradecka served, allowing her just two points from her in two service games of the first set.

Ebden dominated whenever he had the chance to serve. He held his second service game to love and followed that with another love-game when serving for the set.

The host players took a stranglehold on the title when they broke Cermak in the opening game of the second set.

But nerves kicked in as the match edged towards a potential finish. Ebden saved a break point while leading 3-2 but then the Australians failed to convert three break points on Hradecka's serve.

When Gajdosova lost her serve the next game, the set was back on an even keel and the Australians had given up a significant advantage.

But Hradecka double faulted twice while serving to Gajdosova at 5-5 and Ebden made her pay, thereby allowing the Australians the chance to serve out the match.

Ebden and Gajdosova, who will represent Australian at Davis Cup and Fed Cup, won 67,750 Australian dollars each.

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