Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(3) in the Australian Open final, 2016 on hard court
It was Djokovic's 6th title at the event and Murray's fifth runner-up showing. The two had previously played 3 other finals (Djokovic winning them all), including the previous year. Djokovic would go onto win the French Open to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam shortly after. Murray would go onto win Wimbledon and the Olympics. The two would very tightly contest for #1 for the year, with Murray clinching it with a win over Djokovic in the Year End Championship final
Djokovic won 123 points, Murray 99
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (73/111) 66%
- 1st serve points won (54/73) 74%
- 2nd serve points won (20/38) 53%
- Aces 7, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (24/111) 22%
Murray...
- 1st serve percentage (71/111) 64%
- 1st serve points won (48/71) 68%
- 2nd serve points won (14/40) 35%
- Aces 12, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/111) 23%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 44%
- to BH 42%
- to Body 14%
Murray served...
- to FH 53%
- to BH 38%
- to Body 9%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 80 (48 FH, 32 BH)
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (4 FH, 2 BH)
- 6 Forced (6 BH)
- Return Rate (80/106) 75%
Murray made...
- 84 (36 FH, 48 BH), including 3 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 16 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (7 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (84/108) 78%
Break Points
Djokovic 5/12 (7 games)
Murray 2/6 (5 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 23 (10 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 3 OH)
Murray 22 (8 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 2 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 4 cc, 1 cc/longline, 3 inside-out, 1 inside-in and 1 inside-in/cc
- BHs - 3 cc (2 passes - 1 at net), 1 dtl pass, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out, 1 drop shot and 1 lob
Murray's FHs - 4 cc (2 passes, 1 at net), 1 dtl, 2 inside-in and 1 net chord dribbler
- BHs - 5 cc (1 return), 2 inside-out and 1 inside-out/dtl
- 2 from return-approach points (2 BHV)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 48
- 36 Unforced (14 FH, 22 BH)... with 1 FH pass attempt at net
- 12 Forced (3 FH, 9 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.3
Murray 71
- 57 Unforced (27 FH, 27 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)... with 1 non-net FHV
- 14 Forced (7 FH, 6 BH, 1 BH1/2V)... with 1 BH at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.1
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Djokovic was...
- 10/13 (77%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
Murray was...
- 16/24 (67%) at net, with...
- 2/3 (67%) return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back
Match Report
The typical, Djokovic-Murray ball bashing match on a slow-ish court - and Djokovic is just a bit better at it and holds his nerve better at important moments
Murray is outright poor in first set, and Djoko sweeps through it
Second is all closed court ball bashing. Not lively, but good ball striking from both players. Murray probably edges the BH hitting, but manages to get broken from 40-0 late in set. Djoko double faults twicewhile serving for the set to give Murray a break point, but Djoko holds on
Third set is best of the bunch. More near equal ball bashing + Murray comes to net significantly. 2 double faults from Murray in the tiebreak decides it
Standout difference in play is weakness of Murray's FH. Everything else is close between the two players -
- Unreturned serve - Djoko 22%, Murray 23%
- Winners - Djoko 23, Murray 22
- FEs - Djoko 12, Murray 14
- non-FH UEs - Djoko 22, Murray 30
- FH UEs - Djoko 14, Murray 27
Standout positives for Djokovic is sure returning and superiority in defence - areas he has sizable advantage over Murray
Serve & Return
Murray serves stronger, Djoko returns better
First serve in count is almost same (Djoko 66%, Murray 64%). Murray with 14 unreturnable serves (12 aces, 2 service winners) to Djoko's 8, while serving 2 fewer first serves
Not insignificant amount of Djoko's first serving is like a good second serve - average power, directed at Murray's swing zone. Serves Murray can conceivably attack even. He doesn't, and sticks to firm, neutralizing returning - which is generally, would be good enough. Trailing in play in this match, might have considered looking for an attacking return more
Despite the low 35% second serve points won by Murray, his second serve is ok too. Not particularly weak or invitations to attack. And Djoko doesn't unduly attack them. The low figure is more down to difference in play
Occasional attacking returns by Djoko against the second serve, swatting the ball wide. By his standard, slightly below average deep returning down the middle. His typical second serve return is neutralizing and deep-ish and not often initiative grabbing
Djoko's consistency on the return is exceptional. He's only made 12 errors, which is 2 fewer than Murray's aces/service winners. Murray serving more to the FH (53%) than you might expect. Generally, Djoko's FH return is more dangerous but also less consistent than the BH. He returns exceptionally cleanly off BH in first set, and Murray shifts to serving more to FH, but in this match, FH is very consistent too. Just 4 FH errors - all of them unforced - and he's particularly good at reaching and putting in play forceful wide returns. With FH that consistent, probably a better idea to go more to BH, which has 8 errors (6 of them forced)
Murray is also sound on the return, though less so than Djoko, with the FH faltering a bit in missing regulation returns. 7/8 of his UEs are off that side. He returns normally too, rarely attacking second serves. Late in match, he return-approaches off firm shots 3 times. Trailing in play as he does, he would definitely have needed to go after Djoko's second serve more
It was Djokovic's 6th title at the event and Murray's fifth runner-up showing. The two had previously played 3 other finals (Djokovic winning them all), including the previous year. Djokovic would go onto win the French Open to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam shortly after. Murray would go onto win Wimbledon and the Olympics. The two would very tightly contest for #1 for the year, with Murray clinching it with a win over Djokovic in the Year End Championship final
Djokovic won 123 points, Murray 99
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (73/111) 66%
- 1st serve points won (54/73) 74%
- 2nd serve points won (20/38) 53%
- Aces 7, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (24/111) 22%
Murray...
- 1st serve percentage (71/111) 64%
- 1st serve points won (48/71) 68%
- 2nd serve points won (14/40) 35%
- Aces 12, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/111) 23%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 44%
- to BH 42%
- to Body 14%
Murray served...
- to FH 53%
- to BH 38%
- to Body 9%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 80 (48 FH, 32 BH)
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (4 FH, 2 BH)
- 6 Forced (6 BH)
- Return Rate (80/106) 75%
Murray made...
- 84 (36 FH, 48 BH), including 3 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 16 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (7 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (84/108) 78%
Break Points
Djokovic 5/12 (7 games)
Murray 2/6 (5 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 23 (10 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 3 OH)
Murray 22 (8 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 2 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 4 cc, 1 cc/longline, 3 inside-out, 1 inside-in and 1 inside-in/cc
- BHs - 3 cc (2 passes - 1 at net), 1 dtl pass, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out, 1 drop shot and 1 lob
Murray's FHs - 4 cc (2 passes, 1 at net), 1 dtl, 2 inside-in and 1 net chord dribbler
- BHs - 5 cc (1 return), 2 inside-out and 1 inside-out/dtl
- 2 from return-approach points (2 BHV)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 48
- 36 Unforced (14 FH, 22 BH)... with 1 FH pass attempt at net
- 12 Forced (3 FH, 9 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.3
Murray 71
- 57 Unforced (27 FH, 27 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)... with 1 non-net FHV
- 14 Forced (7 FH, 6 BH, 1 BH1/2V)... with 1 BH at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.1
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Djokovic was...
- 10/13 (77%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
Murray was...
- 16/24 (67%) at net, with...
- 2/3 (67%) return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back
Match Report
The typical, Djokovic-Murray ball bashing match on a slow-ish court - and Djokovic is just a bit better at it and holds his nerve better at important moments
Murray is outright poor in first set, and Djoko sweeps through it
Second is all closed court ball bashing. Not lively, but good ball striking from both players. Murray probably edges the BH hitting, but manages to get broken from 40-0 late in set. Djoko double faults twicewhile serving for the set to give Murray a break point, but Djoko holds on
Third set is best of the bunch. More near equal ball bashing + Murray comes to net significantly. 2 double faults from Murray in the tiebreak decides it
Standout difference in play is weakness of Murray's FH. Everything else is close between the two players -
- Unreturned serve - Djoko 22%, Murray 23%
- Winners - Djoko 23, Murray 22
- FEs - Djoko 12, Murray 14
- non-FH UEs - Djoko 22, Murray 30
- FH UEs - Djoko 14, Murray 27
Standout positives for Djokovic is sure returning and superiority in defence - areas he has sizable advantage over Murray
Serve & Return
Murray serves stronger, Djoko returns better
First serve in count is almost same (Djoko 66%, Murray 64%). Murray with 14 unreturnable serves (12 aces, 2 service winners) to Djoko's 8, while serving 2 fewer first serves
Not insignificant amount of Djoko's first serving is like a good second serve - average power, directed at Murray's swing zone. Serves Murray can conceivably attack even. He doesn't, and sticks to firm, neutralizing returning - which is generally, would be good enough. Trailing in play in this match, might have considered looking for an attacking return more
Despite the low 35% second serve points won by Murray, his second serve is ok too. Not particularly weak or invitations to attack. And Djoko doesn't unduly attack them. The low figure is more down to difference in play
Occasional attacking returns by Djoko against the second serve, swatting the ball wide. By his standard, slightly below average deep returning down the middle. His typical second serve return is neutralizing and deep-ish and not often initiative grabbing
Djoko's consistency on the return is exceptional. He's only made 12 errors, which is 2 fewer than Murray's aces/service winners. Murray serving more to the FH (53%) than you might expect. Generally, Djoko's FH return is more dangerous but also less consistent than the BH. He returns exceptionally cleanly off BH in first set, and Murray shifts to serving more to FH, but in this match, FH is very consistent too. Just 4 FH errors - all of them unforced - and he's particularly good at reaching and putting in play forceful wide returns. With FH that consistent, probably a better idea to go more to BH, which has 8 errors (6 of them forced)
Murray is also sound on the return, though less so than Djoko, with the FH faltering a bit in missing regulation returns. 7/8 of his UEs are off that side. He returns normally too, rarely attacking second serves. Late in match, he return-approaches off firm shots 3 times. Trailing in play as he does, he would definitely have needed to go after Djoko's second serve more
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