DJOKOVIC: BIGGEST VICTORY IN MY LIFE
The resulting 65 gave McIlroy a total of 15 under par, with England’s Callum Shinkwin and Dan Bradbury his nearest challengers on 12 under.
Patrick Reed and Ian Poulter were part of a seven-strong group a shot further back.
McIlroy, whose bogey on the 18th was a carbon copy of the one in last year’s final round which cost him a playoff
NOVAK DJOKOVIC shed tears of joy and relief before hailing his 10th Australian Open title as the “biggest victory in my life”.
A year after his deportation from Down Under following his decision not to take a Covid jab, the Serbian overcame injury and the furore over his father to equal Rafa Nadal’s record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles in the male GOAT race.
He is also back at world No.1 today for a 374th week.
After taking his second matchpoint when Stefanos Tsitsipas pushed a forehand over the baseline, Djokovic touched his head, his heart and his genitals in defiant celebration.
But this serial winner then showed the strain of the last few weeks by climbing into the stands to embrace his mother, Dijana, and brother Marko before collapsing to the ground in tears.
Perfect
The Wimbledon champion, who is now a perfect 10 out of 10 in finals here, then continued to cry into his towel in his chair.
Djokovic said: “I teared out because I felt the huge burden just off my back. It was a huge relief.
“With everything we have been through — only my team and family know what — it was a huge release as well.
“I just was releasing all the emotions that had been stuck because I had to find the strong masculine energy to sustain the pressure of going all the way.
“I emotionally collapsed there. Up to that moment I was not allowing myself to be distracted with things on and off the court.
“Not playing last year, coming back to Australia this year.
“Considering last year’s event, I was extra nervous coming into Australia. This has been one of the most challenging tournaments I have ever played. This is probably the biggest victory in my life considering the circumstances.”