Novak Djokovic equalizes Nadal with Adelaide title win over Seb Korda at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic survived a hand against Sebastian Korda by saving a championship point en route to the Adelaide international title with a 6-7(8) 7-6(3) 6-4 win in three hours and nine minutes. The world No. 5 has now matched Rafael Nadal with 92 career titles and will cement his status as heavy favorite to win the upcoming Australian Open after his gutsy win over the 22-year-old.

The top seed took to the court to sing "Nole" for what was her sixth consecutive final as Korda played only the fifth of her career. The 21-time Grand Slam champion dropped just one point in his first four service games, but the world No. 33 suddenly managed to set up the match's first break point almost out of nowhere as he fired a forehand winner with Djokovic serving at 4-4, and another winner gave Korda the break for a 5-4 lead.

Serving for the set, the 22-year-old raced to three set points at 40-0 on his serve before nerves set in and the 22-year-old was down five straight points after a series of mistakes that gave the top seed an immediate break point to find himself at 5-5 again. It was Djokovic again as more errors from the Korda racket gave the Serb a set point at 6-5, but the world No. 33 managed to slip away and force a tiebreaker. /p>

The lower-ranked player took the first mini-break and served at 5-4, Korda hit another winner down the line to set up two more set points, but the stunning shot was called consecutive errors with Korda once again failing to shut it down. Djokovic was suddenly the one to err on set point at 7-6, as he framed the ball and sent it through the air, while a sixth set point came and went for the 'American.

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Finally on his seventh set point, Korda won a marathon opening set 7-6(8) after an hour and 13 minutes as the top seed showed his frustrations, pointing to his box as he appeared to send someone off. 'one with his brother Marko and his agent leave during the change. The world No.5 continued to appear tense in the second set and was unable to capitalize on two break points as Korda led 2-1.

Both men continued to hold on with ease before Djokovic pulled away after going from 40-0 to 40-30 while serving at 4-5. He then had to serve to stay in the game again at 5-6 where he suddenly found himself facing a championship point after two unusual errors, but Djokovic saved it with a winner over the head and managed to narrowly escape defeat, holding to force another tie-break, where both men traded mini-breaks in the first two points. The American started making mistakes again, giving the world No. 5 two mini-breaks as Djokovic took a 6-1 lead and won the second set 7-6(3), after saving a championship point to survive and force a decision maker. /p>

Djokovic continued his momentum in the final set by scoring two break points on Korda's serve early on, but the 22-year-old managed to hold on and equalize at 2-2 as the Serbian seemed again frustrated, asking referee Nacho Forcadell about someone shouting in the crowd. The world No. 33 was again in trouble at 3-4 0-30 but got through the tough service game again and it was Djokovic's turn to get out of a 15-30 and heck problem at the service when he wanted to put himself. to a title game at 5-4.

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