Djokovic raises the bar while Azarenka raises eyebrows on the way to Aussie Open titles.

Djokovic raises the bar while Azarenka raises eyebrows on the way to Aussie Open titles.

It was a very eye opening first Grand Slam of the year in tennis as both the men’s and woman’s champions, in their own individual way made a huge statement. Novak Djorkovic and Victoria Azarenka’s victories at this years Australian Open were very different, but at the same time put similar markers down in men’s and woman’s game to make the world of tennis sit up and take notice.

Djokovic came through his second gruelling 5 set epic in 3 days to beat Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 in a record breaking time of 5 hours and 53 minutes.

The fact that he beat Nadal for a seventh time in a row to retain the Australian Open, only two days after overcoming Andy Murray in another 5 set epic must have sent shivers down the spines of his opponents.

Djokovic has looked almost unbeatable recently, this Grand Slam win followed the three he won last year. Djokovic is the youngest man in the open era to reach the semi finals of all four Grand Slam events. Following the 4 hour 50 minute semi final win with a record breaking 5 Hour 53 minute final victory for this fifth Grand Slam win, he has now added the “man of steal” label to his athleticism, bullet like serve and mean array of finesse and power shots.

On this form he could even scoop all four this year, a feat that was last done by Rod Laver in 1969. Though Nadal is not exactly out of the picture, he ended 2010 in this exact same position, winning 3 out of 4 Grand Slams. He also won the only Grand Slam Djokovic did not win last year at the French Open.

If it wasn’t for one vital break in that fifth set Nadal could have been celebrating victory. At one stage when Djokovic took the third set 6-2, Nadal could well have been steamrolled but he fought back to win the fourth on a tie breaker.

That’s when everyone thought the advantage would then be with Nadal, following Djokovic’s epic semi final with Andy Murray. Unfortunately for Rafael Nadal the brilliant Serbian showed his immense strength to outlast the Spaniard in the longest final ever to be played.

Victoria Azarenka stormed her way to the Australian Open title by demolishing former champion Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0. In doing so she also claimed the woman’s no 1 spot previously held by Caroline Wozniacki for about 15 months.

The 22 year old Belarusian showed tremendous composure playing in her first singles Grand Slam final against her much more experienced opponent. She was in fine form in the tournament not dropping a set in the four rounds before the quarter finals.

In the quarter finals she lost the first set 6-7 to the Polish Player Agnieszka Radwanska, before steam rolling the next two sets 6-0 6-2. In the semi’s she faced the defending champion Kim Clijsters which was probably her hardest match. After taking the first set 6-4 Clijsters dominated the second taking it 1-6.

Many expected the defending champion to go on and reach the final but I think the Belarusian came of age in the final set winning it 6-3 in confident fashion. I believe that win was the turning point and probably the reason why after losing the first two games in the final, she composed herself to stroll to her first Singles Grand Slam title.

This could be a new era in woman’s tennis, Azarenka certainly has the skills to stay there and judging by this tournament seems to have the temperament. Although it will not be easy, she is the fourth consecutive first time Grand Slam winner in the woman’s game.