Djokovic Reflects on Historic Win

World number one Novak Djokovic has labelled his historic Australian Open win against close rival Rafael Nadal as the greatest moment of his career.

Djokovic outlasted 10-time Grand Slam winner Nadal to clinch an epic five-setter that went five hours 53 minutes.

"It was the longest Grand Slam final of all time. Just hearing that fact makes me cry," said the emotional Serbian.

"Wimbledon is right up there because it is the tournament I always wanted to win. But this comes out on top."

Defending champion Djokovic lifted the title for the third time after Sunday's 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 success against second seed Nadal.

It moved the 24-year-old alongside Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Mats Wilander as the only Open-era players to have achieved a hat-trick of successes.

Djokovic said: "I am very proud to be a part of history, to be among the elite group of players who have won this trophy several times.

"I had lots of chances to finish the match in the fourth, but he came up with some incredible serves and incredible points.

"So he deserved to prolong the match in the fifth set, and then really both of us could have won the match.

"Even when I was 4-2 down I still pushed myself up to the limit.

"I'm sure any other tennis player would say the same. We live for these matches.

"We're trying to dedicate all our life to this sport, to come to the situation where we play a six-hour match for a Grand Slam title."

Djokovic reached the Melbourne final after overcoming breathing and injury problems in his quarter-final victory over David Ferrer.

He also appeared to struggle physically during his semi-final defeat of Britain's Andy Murray, in a match which lasted four hours 50 minutes.

But he managed to outlast Nadal in an exhausting encounter before falling to the floor in celebration following his winning point.

"I overcame everything," said the Serb. "That's the most important thing for me. And to be able to mentally hang in there.

"It was obvious on the court for everybody who has watched the match that both of us, physically, took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies.

"It was just the matter of maybe luck in some moments and a matter of wanting this more than maybe other players in the certain point. It's just an incredible effort."

Nadal, aiming for his second Australian Open title after beating Roger Federer in the 2009 final, said the epic encounter was one of the toughest matches of his career.

"We played a nice tennis match, it was a very good show and I enjoyed being a part of it," said the Spaniard.

"I wanted to win but I am happy with how I did."

When asked if he would watch a re-run of the match, Nadal joked: "No, it's too long. Just the highlights."

Abu Dhabi Edge Lead

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing this afternoon looked to have got the better of CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand in the hand-to-hand combat the pair have been engaged in all day.

In his latest report from the boat Abu Dhabi Media Crew Member (MCM) Nick Dana described how Abu Dhabi had finally got the upper hand after nipping at CAMPER’s heels since first light this morning:

“The battle has raged all day,” he said. “At dawn we were behind them with the breeze slowly fading. This was a bit worrying, as we believe them to be one of the fastest boats in light air. Nevertheless we kept pushing and as the day crept on the sea breeze did too.

“Up and down on our line CAMPER continued to swerve, gaining here and losing there. Finally we decided we would start to sail our course as if they were not next to us. A difficult task when you are stuck in a nail biter in light air and calm seas.

“Eventually we caught a small shift and edged ahead. Even now we are locked in a gybe dual through the fields of anchored ships.”

Dana said the day had been a scorcher in more ways than one with blistering heat and stifling humidity adding to the intensity of the boat-on-boat action.

“Today has been a difficult day to sit at the computer,” Dana said. “Firstly because we had our record temperature inside Azzam thus far. It was a whopping 40 degrees down below, coupled with humidity that you had to cut your way through.

“And secondly because of our little match race going on with CAMPER at the moment. In fact, as I write this we are no more than 20 metres from an anchored super tanker – ducking and weaving between the giants with CAMPER closely at our heels.”

The crews have been at sea for nine days now without a proper shower or fresh food, a fact that Abu Dhabi skipper Ian Walker said made sailing past the bright lights of Singapore on the way to the South China Sea all the more difficult.

“We are now within 50 miles of Singapore – one of my favourite cities in the world. It is going to be very hard not to stop in for a visit!” Walker said in his blog from the boat today. “Right now we could all do with a cool, soft drink and a freshwater shower.”

With the challenge of the Malacca Strait almost completed Walker said he had mentally all but ticked off the middle section of the second stage of Leg 3.

“In my mind this represents the end of the second stage of Leg 3b i.e. the Malacca Straits,” he said. “I have to say that with the exception of a period of getting stuck in the shipping lane with little or no wind to manoeuvre with, the Straits have held very few of the perils we feared.

“No pirates, no collisions, far less debris in the water than I remember last time, fewer thunder storms and fewer periods of calm.

Nevertheless Walker said he was bracing himself for a tough passage through the Singapore Strait and out into open water for the final section to Sanya.

“The waters off Singapore will offer lots more shipping and some strong adverse currents so we are not out of the woods yet,” he said.

Although Abu Dhabi previously lost out badly on a key weather coin toss which saw them anchored along side CAMPER in no wind and strong adverse current while the top three romped away, Walker said with a long and difficult slog to China still to come he was far from capitulating on Leg 3.

“We are closer to the leaders than we have been since Day 4,” he said. “Right now the top five boats are within 25 miles of each other after eight days racing.

“Looking ahead it would be fair to say that nobody onboard is looking forward to the last part of this leg. 1200 miles upwind to China with some rough conditions certain off the Vietnamese coast.”

With the Siren calls of Singapore ringing in his ears Walker said the Abu Dhabi crew were preparing themselves and their boat for the brutal monsoon surge conditions they would face over the next week.

“Now is the time to be checking things over,” he said. “Doing any small maintenance bits and any other chores before the sea conditions deteriorate in the South China Sea.

“Much as it breaks my heart we will not be stopping in Singapore tonight,” he added sadly.

Libya Go Home Despite Win

Ihaab Boussefi's two goals were not enough to send Libya through to the quarter-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations despite a 2-1 win over Senegal on Sunday.

Boussefi struck in the fifth and 84th minutes to give Libya victory at the Estadio de Bata but Zambia's 1-0 win over the co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in Group A's other game in Malabo – which was played at the same time – saw the Zambians progress.

The striker's double did give Libya their first victory at the Cup of Nations in 30 years, however, and the country's first win in the competition on foreign soil.

Libya reached the final of the African Cup at home in 1982, then had two defeats and a draw at their only other appearance six years ago.

Boussefi's early goal raised hopes of an unlikely quarter-final place for Libya, who needed a win combined with a defeat for Zambia to have any chance. He finished neatly after being set up by Ahmed Sa'ad.

Deme Ndiaye equalised with a glancing header from a corner in the 11th minute for Senegal, who were playing for pride alone after defeats in their opening two games.

Boussefi claimed a late winner with a sweetly struck volley six minutes from time but Zambia progressed as group winners ahead of Equatorial Guinea, who had already qualified.

The Libyans still go home with a win from a tournament they were never expected to reach after they emerged from chaos and civil war at home during the qualifying competition to make the finals.

For Senegal it was a third straight defeat at the tournament and a humiliating end to their Cup of Nations after being tipped as possible contenders. They lost all three games by 2-1 to exit the tournament without a point for the first time in their history.

Ireland Announce Wales Squad

The Ireland management have named a 32 man squad as preparations reach their final stages for Ireland’s opening game of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship against Wales on Sunday, February 5th.

The majority of the squad that trained in the Limerick camp last week have been retained and there are also call ups for O2 Ireland Wolfhound players Denis Hurley, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry and Rhys Ruddock, all of whom have been capped previously for Ireland.

David Kearney, Eoin O’Malley, Simon Zebo, Brett Wilkinson and Peter O’Mahony are the uncapped players in the squad to join up with the senior Ireland squad in Kildare.

Ireland Squad (32):

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)

Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)

Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)

Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)*

Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)

Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)*

Eoin O’Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*

Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)

Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)*

Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)*

*Denotes uncapped player

Armitage Out After Detention

Delon Armitage has been suspended from the England Saxons Elite Player Squad following his detention by Devon & Cornwall Police early on January 29th. 

The London Irish full back was released from the England Saxons camp following the international match against the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds on January 28. 

He was later arrested in Torquay on suspicion of assault following an altercation in a nightclub, interviewed and then released on police bail while inquiries continue. 

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “We take issues surrounding the behaviour of England players very seriously and as such have decided to suspend Delon from the Saxons EPS pending the result of the police inquiry. We will then consider if further action is appropriate under the EPS Code of Conduct. 

“High standards of behaviour are required from England players on and off the field, and they also need to understand that they should not put themselves in a potentially vulnerable position or environment.” 

London Irish said in a statement: “London Irish is extremely disappointed to hear about the incident involving Delon whilst on an England Saxons release period and takes these matters extremely seriously. We fully understand the RFU stance on this matter and will convene our own internal investigation to procure a full understanding of the matter in question, the outcome of which will determine any further action. Player conduct is a direct representation of the club and, therefore, inappropriate conduct will be strongly acted upon.”