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ITFWorld Spring 2013

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AUSTRALIAN OPEN HAPPY RETURNS Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka both defended their realm at the Australian Open, and the first Slam of 2013 set down some important markers for the year ahead. by Suzi Petkovski Novak Djokovic has won four of his six major titles in Melbourne M ove over Roger and Rafa. The new headline rivalry is Novak Djokovic versus Andy Murray. The boyhood rivals, born a week apart in May 1987, have now split the last two Grand Slam finals, Djokovic winning a typically bruising encounter in Melbourne 67 76 63 62 for his sixth major title. A year on from his shirt-ripping heroics, as winner of the longest-ever Grand Slam final over Rafael Nadal, Djokovic served up more history as the first Australian Open three-peat champion in the Open era. The third Djokovic-Murray major final (the Serb leads 2-1, and 11-7 overall) is unlikely to be the last. Both are in their prime and have opened a physical gap on the rest of the field. The Big Four of men���s tennis all but announced a new top two in Melbourne. Roger Federer fell to Murray for the first time at a major, outmuscled in a changing-of-the-guard semifinal, 64 67 63 67 62. Back in Europe, Nadal nursed his battered knees into an eighth month of exile. Not just a new year then but a new dawn. 24 ITFWORLD SPRING 2013

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