Djokovic has never failed to win the tournament after making the semi-finals and he will be heavily favoured to claim a record-extending ninth title at his favourite Slam on Sunday.
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.
List of leading men's grand slam singles title winners after Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic returns to the Australian Open seeking his third consecutive trophy at Melbourne Park, where memories of last year's gut-wrenching final against Rafa Nadal still linger around Rod Laver Arena's blue centre court.
Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and other top tennis players hammed it up in exhibition matches on the eve of the Australian Open to raise money for victims of the country's devastating floods on Sunday.
Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek upset Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6(1), 6-2 to win the Australian Open doubles title on Saturday and foil the American twins' bid for a record 12th Grand Slam crown.
Silent assassin Agnieszka Radwanska ended Victoria Azarenka's bid for a hat-trick of titles at Melbourne Park on Wednesday and reached her maiden Australian Open semi-final with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 win.
Heartbroken by Djokovic in two five-set epics in Melbourne and the US Open last year, the eighth-seeded Swiss played out of his skin to upset his Grand Slam nemesis 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 in an exhilarating four hours.
Third seed Maria Sharapova was dumped out of the Australian Open on Monday with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 fourth round loss to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova on Rod Laver Arena.
Picking up her racquet bag and marching straight out of Rod Laver Arena without a nod or a wave, Maria Sharapova's abrupt exit after her fourth-round loss to Dominika Cibulkova on Monday spoke volumes of her disdain for a forgettable Australian Open.
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.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic stunned World No 1 Serena Williams at the Australian Open on Sunday with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 fourth-round upset at Rod Laver Arena.
Images from the Friday's play at the Australian Open.
Victoria Azarenka said the prospect of winning a third straight Australian Open title is an inspiration, not a pressure, after booking her place in the third round.
The thought of playing a long match in the extreme Melbourne heat resulted in a sleepless night for Serena Williams, but the World No 1 need not have worried as she strode swiftly into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday.
Images from the Australian Open matches played in Melbourne on Tuesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic, bidding for a record-equalling sixth title at the event, is in the Tokyo group with Russian Daniil Medvedev, Germany's Alexander Zverev and Argentine first-time Diego Schwartzman.
Images of the Day 11 of the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic takes his first steps towards entering the history books on Monday and the two-time defending Australian Open champion is taking nothing for granted in his first round clash.
Nadal fought from two sets down to defeat Medvedev in a five-set thriller at Rod Laver Arena.
Jannik Sinner bounced back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev and win his maiden Grand Slam title.
Novak Djokovic deserves a "little star" next to his name for a spectacular 2015 season that saw him win three grand slams among his 11 titles but the men's game is not simply a matter of the Serb versus the rest, Roger Federer said.
In a career spanning 13 years, Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli won seven titles before Saturday's triumph at Wimbledon. She's joins a long list of 'unlikely' champs at the hallowed tennis courts, says Bikash Mohapatra.
Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden became the first locals to win a main draw Australian Open title since 2005 when they clinched the mixed doubles on Sunday.
Li Na's bid for a second Grand Slam title ended tearfully with an injured ankle, a bruised head and a heart-breaking defeat to Victoria Azarenka, but she could still laugh off her 'stupid' falls after a gallant failure in the Australian Open final.
China's Li Na sent a wayward Maria Sharapova crashing out of the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday and says there will be no repeat of her capitulation to Kim Clijsters in the 2011 Melbourne Park final.
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.
Serena Williams trounced Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open on Monday, setting up an all-American quarter-final with her would-be successor Sloane Stephens after Andy Murray had put flagging Frenchman Gilles Simon out of his misery.
Maria Sharapova missed out on a third successive 'double-bagel' but humbled Venus Williams 6-1, 6-3 to charge into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday.
Take a walk around the Grand Slam Oval at Melbourne Park and it is easy to see why Australia has such high expectations of tennis success.
Novak Djokovic has vowed not to become over-confident as he seeks to extend a 15-match winning streak when he returns to action in Dubai, his first tournament since winning a sixth Australian Open title last month.
Novak Djokovic weathered a gallant challenge from a tenacious Lleyton Hewitt to send the last Australian in the draw packing and make the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday.
Serena Williams was bundled out of the Australian Open on Monday, losing her fourth-round match to Russian world number 56 Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-3 on a scorching day at Rod Laver Arena.
Kim Clijsters was courage personified as the defending champion shook off a painful ankle injury and saved four match points to overhaul China's Li Na 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.
Images from day four of the Australian Open 2012 tennis tournament in Melbourne, on Thursday.
So Djokovic will certainly not be letting his guard slip when he plays American Denis Kudla on Friday.
Rafa Nadal said playing Roger Federer always brings the best out of him after he bludgeoned his way past the Swiss on Friday to reach the final of the Australian Open.
Defending champions Serena and Venus Williams defeated Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open women's doubles title on Friday, maintaining the partnership's perfect record in grand slam finals.
A fatigued Novak Djokovic stared down a ferocious challenge from Rafa Nadal to retain his Australian Open title on Sunday in the longest Grand Slam final played.
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