Australian Open 2012: Novak Djokovic Outlasts Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal didn't have any reason to hang his head after losing to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2012 Australian Open. The Spaniard's comments in his post-match interview reflected that, too, as he looked back on a match that may have been tougher than the toughest match he's ever been involved in.

"No, I'm tired, sure," Nadal said according to the tournament website's transcription of the post-match interview. "Physically it was the toughest match I ever played, if not tougher. I am tired."

It wasn't how Nadal wanted to go out as he lost 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, but he found the positives in defeat.

"I wanted to win, but I am happy about how I did. I had my chances against the best player of the world today. I played one against one. For a long time I didn't felt that I was playing in less advantage than him, you know," Nadal said. "I didn't play at lower level than him for a long time, so that's a very positive thing for me. I am very happy about my mentality tonight, the mentality worked like in my best moments."

If nothing else, Nadal saw his performance in the Aussie Open as a solid start to the year.

"So very happy about the beginning of the 2012 season," Nadal said. "That's all that I can say."

For more on the tournament, visit SB Nation's tennis hub.

It was the longest final in Grand Slam history, the longest one-day match in Grand Slam history, and by the fourth set it resembled more of a 12-round match between heavyweights with steel chins than a tennis match. Except, thanks to Rafael Nadal's brilliant performance in the fourth-set tiebreak, the heavyweights had to go a few more rounds to decide things. Even though Nadal looked like the fitter man, Djokovic played almost error-free despite his exhaustion, saved a break and finished strong, winning his third Australian Open title, and second in a row, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5.

The deciding fifth set was a visualization of what happens when the legs give way to adrenaline. Both men played 100 percent every point, seemingly every step as fast as the first set, only showing the signs of fatigue after points concluded. At one point, Djokovic collapsed onto the court after hitting a ball wide, but got up and managed to take the next point. That was just a snapshot of the effort and exhaustion these two men put forth.

Djokovic fell down a set early, but battled back and stormed ahead up two sets to one, seemingly poised to take the match in four sets, but Nadal, as Patrick McEnroe said afterward, "literally willed himself back in the match." He won the fourth set and broked Djokovic's serve in the fifth to go up 4-2. Djokovic, however, broke him right back and again at 5-5, eventually closing it out after five hours and 53 minutes.

By the match's final moments, Djokovic was kissing the cross around his neck, crossing himself, pleading to his higher power for the strength to continue, and it was granted to him. All hyperbole granted to this match is well deserved. In the last few years, there have been countless titanic tennis matches worth of the Match of the Century designation, but those who woke up early and caught this one were left breathless by the sheer effort these two champions put into it, vaulting it up there with Nadal-Federer at Wimbledon a few years back as the best in tennis' new golden age.

Djokovic has now won four of the last five Grand Slams, and has a chance to be the defending champ at all of them if he can manage to overcome his greatest weakness, and Nadal's greatest strength, on clay at the French Open later this year.