Novak Djokovic destroys Lucas Pouille to book Aus Open final date with Rafael Nadal

World No.1 Novak Djokovic will gun for a record seven Australian Open crowns after annihilating Frenchman Lucas Pouille to book in a rematch with longtime rival Rafael Nadal.

Richard Evans

2 min read

January 26, 2019 - 9:18AM

Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after a point against France's Lucas Pouille during their men's singles semi-final match on day 12 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2019. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

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It was as if we were watching the night before, Novak Djokovic easing into his seventh Australian Open final in little more than second gear and in 83 minutes at that.

He could have played in his slippers and dressing gown and the outcome would have been no different.

Never pressured and never under threat, the six time champion dropped just four games all night, two less than Rafael Nadal 24 hours earlier. Some performance.

Djokovic played a flawless first set, winning it to love and then dropped just four more games in the 6-0 6-2 6-2 demolition job of the 28th-seeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille.

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“It is definitely one of the best matches I have played on this court, everything worked the way I imagined before the match, Djokovic said.

After Kei Nishikori retired in the previous round midway through the second set Djokovic said, a tad glibly maybe, that ‘it was just what the doctor ordered’.

He will be thinking the same again today. As rehearsals for a final go, this was as good as it gets. But poor Pouille.

The 24-year-old had it wrong from the start, coming on court early as the announcer was beginning, rather than finishing his introduction. He is not used to Rod Laver Arena and big match semi-finals.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic shakes hand with France's Lucas Pouille. Picture: AFP

Djokovic, meanwhile, synced his entrance impeccably.

It hinted at nerves or at least uncertainty. Pouille had never won a match at the Australian Open before last week — in five attempts.

“When he is playing like this he is the best player in the world for sure,” said Pouille who found the Serb’s remorselessly precise return of serve and lack of errors - just five unforced all match - impossible to deal with.

If the play wasn’t quite the pounding Rafa dished out to Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday, the scoring was, a first set to love in 23 minutes, 32 minutes before the French player nabbed his first game.

Djokovic had a steely focus on higher honours in his destruction of Pouille. Picture: AP

Mercifully, we were all spared the weather, 43 degrees at lunchtime with 20 degrees shaved off by the time it finished just after 9pm.

The Serb has steered clear of fresh injury this fortnight but has alluded to the aches and pains that come with concentrated top flight sport.

While he will not have taken the win for granted — Pouille is ranked 28 after all — coming off court quickly and without huge exertion will have been paramount.

It is a fine balance, but Djokovic has not given the impression of overly extending himself in his six matches to-date, job done every time his mantra.

Nadal has dominated this tournament, a thunderous presence, Djokovic more menacing support, so far. But he will take his place on Sunday and right now, that is all he will want.

A win over Nadal would see him claim a seventh Australian Open title — more than any other man in history.

In 2012 the pair contested the longest Grand Slam final in terms of time at the Australian Open when Djokovic edged an epicbattle 7-5 in the fifth set after 5hr 53min.