'It ranks right at the top. Under the circumstances, playing against Nadal, such an important match, it's amazing," the 31-year-old told reporters after needing barely two hours to extend his perfect record in seven Australian Open finals'
Deposed champion Roger Federer left Melbourne Park with his head held high after losing to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
No complaints but quarantine differentials were a mistake: Zverev
Defending champion Victoria Azarenka suffered a panic attack trying to close out her Australian Open semi-final against American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday and needed a long medical timeout before setting up a final against Li Na.
Photos of the Australian Open matches
It was the first Grand Slam triumph for Polasek, 35, who came out of retirement in 2018
Dominika Cibulkova, the first Slovakian woman to reach a Grand Slam final, will take on China's Li Na in the Australian Open women's singles final at Melbourne Park, on Saturday.
Images from Friday's Australian Open men's singles second semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Serena Williams admitted that a bad back sustained during practice hampered her movement during her shock fourth round loss to Ana Ivanovic on Sunday, but refused to blame the injury for her stunning exit that blew the Australian Open wide open.
Images from the Australian Open matches played on Sunday.
Images from the Australian Open matches played in Melbourne on Saturday.
Images from Day One of the Australian Open, in Melbourne, on Monday.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion is yet to clarify his schedule for next year but has committed to playing the Australian Open.
Victoria Azarenka thinks her rivalry with Serena Williams is making her a better player and is looking forward to renewing it over the next four weeks at the Brisbane International and the Australian Open.
But the top seed targeted world number 68 Niemeier's serve to grab the decisive break and with it the opening set, before surrendering serve early in the next only to hit back from 2-0 down to level at 5-5 before going on to seal the victory.
Images from Day 2 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday
Reigning champion and top seed Angelique Kerber was knocked out of the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, losing 6-2, 6-3 to American Coco Vandeweghe on Rod Laver Arena.
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna set up a mixed doubles quarter-final clash against each other at the Australian Open after winning their respective matches, in Melbourne.
The Briton lapped the Albert Park circuit in a searing one minute and 21.164 seconds to cross the line 0.664 seconds clear of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
Novak Djokovic cruised through his first singles match in Australia since being deported last year.
Holger Rune rallied from a set down and saved a match point to defeat former champion Taylor Fritz 2-6 7-6(2) 6-3 on Wednesday and reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals where he will meet fourth seed Daniil Medvedev.
Short of tournament sharpness in the build-up to the Australian Open because of injury, Maria Sharapova has found a novel way of playing herself into form -- roughing up the local boys.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday in a triumphant return two weeks after appendicitis surgery as Red Bull's World champion Max Verstappen suffered his first retirement in two years.
Melbourne on Friday completed 28 days since the last reported locally-acquired case of novel coronavirus infection.
Novak Djokovic split with his long-time coach Marian Vajda at the end of the 2021 season, ending one of tennis's most enduring and successful partnerships, the Serbian former world number one said.
Garbine Muguruza has to be the one taking charge in the Australian Open final against "fighter" Sofia Kenin if she is to win her third Grand Slam title, the Spaniard's coach Conchita Martinez said.
The man was shot after confronting police officers on a busy city street, authorities said. He was taken into custody in a critical condition. He succumbed to the gunshot wounds in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Novak Djokovic claimed a record-breaking 23rd men's singles Grand Slam title when he beat Norway's Casper Ruud 7-6(1) 6-3 7-5 in the French Open final.
The second round match against Argentine Federico Delbonis lacked nothing in quality power tennis but was almost entirely devoid of drama and the most notable incident came late in the third set when the ball flew off top seed Nadal's racket and hit a ballgirl on the head.
"Well, I don't know what his intentions are, how he feels, but he is definitely always one of the top favourites in every tournament that he plays," said Djokovic, who beat Slovenian qualifier Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to join the Spaniard in the second round on Tuesday.
Davenport, who was beaten in last year's final by Serena Williams, remains on course for a quarter-final meeting with 10th seed Venus Williams or eighth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium.
Seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams advanced to the third round at Melbourne Park on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Stefanie Voegele but conceded she was still troubled by an elbow injury that forced her to pull out of the women's doubles.
Having toppled 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, an overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas felt thrilled to have turned his idol into a 'rival'.
With the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup sitting a few centimetres away from his left hand, Novak Djokovic was a contented man at his post-match media conference.
Novak Djokovic created history at the Australian Open this year. Djokovic joined a select group of players who have performed a three-peat at the majors since tennis went professional in 1968. Rediff.com's Bikash Mohapatra takes a look at the elite club of which Djokovic is the new member.
Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci wore down local hopes Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 to become the first Italian pair to win the women's doubles at the Australian Open on Friday.
Roger Federer fended off a withering challenge from Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to prevail 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 in Rod Laver Arena and reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open tennis on Wednesday.
