Australian Open 2011

After 14 days in Melbourne, Novak Djokovic was crowned the Australian Open champion for the second time after beating Britain's Andy Murray in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

In a tournament where most eyes were on Rafa Nadal's conquest to complete the 'Rafa Slam', the final was an unexpected meeting that featured neither Nadal or Federer. In a turn-up for the books, Djokovic met Britain's Andy Murray in the first grand slam final since Australia 2008 to feature neither of the world's top two. Nadal's mission was brought to an abrupt halt in the quarter-finals by David Ferrer after sustaining a hamstring injury in the second game, while Federer crashed out in the semi-finals for a second successive time to Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic began 2011 in style, dropping only one set throughout the whole tournament, one where he faced Berdych, Federer, and Murray. His only dropped set came in the second round to an unseeded Ivan Dodig, otherwise he played a flawless tournament. In the final, he sped around the back of the court returning almost everything that came his way, while a lacklustre Murray gifted Djokovic with a win through an unforced error, his 46th of the match. Perhaps the pressure got to Murray as he came so close to winning the first grand slam for Britain since Fred Perry won the U.S. Open in 1936. 75 years later, will Murray complete the feat this year, we'll need to wait and see, Wimbledon maybe? My money is on Rafa to come back for the French Open in May.

The women's final on saturday saw China's first grand-slam finalist Li Na taking on Kim Clijsters. In a match lasting just over two hours, Clijsters, the darling of the crowd, won 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and claimed she feels she can now be called Aussie Kim after her maiden victory. Clijsters returned to the game 18 months ago after a two year retirement and since then has won three of the last six grand slam events. When tomorrow's rankings are released she will move up to world number 2, and in her current form, surely it won't be long before she moves up to number one...after all she has won four grand slams compared to world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, who has yet to win a grand slam.