Australian Open Final: Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal

The final battle of the Australian Open came once again down to the best two players in the world; Rafael Nadal aiming to stop the world number one, Novak Djokovic, in his run of twenty wins in Grand Slam events. With both players taking part in long physical semi-finals, Djokovic coming through in five sets against Murray just forty hours ago, both players knew it would take a battle of immense endurance and physical strength to come through victorious at the Rod Laver Arena.

In a gruelling first set of an hour and twenty minutes, both players played tremendous tennis; ruthless and ferocious in their efforts to take the first advantage, knowing the importance of an early lead. Both players held their serves, battling through twenty and thirty-shot rallies with a wonderful display of skill. Then, at 5 games apiece, a breakthrough: Nadal battling to break at last, Djokovic’s serve. Holding his own in the final game of the set, Nadal served it out, and in an incredible eighty-two minutes of sensational tennis, he had the all-important first set and a 1-0 lead.

Ever the Champion though, as the second set rolled around Novak Djokovic showed why he is best player in the world. At 1-1, Djokovic began to take control as his tennis really started to click into gear. Three games on the bounce from Djokovic, and suddenly, without warning, the momentum has switched: the world number looks at ease on the court. Tennis can change in an instance, though, and just when you think Djokovic is about to level the match, serving for the set he fails to convert his two set points, and Nadal breaks him right back. It seems there’s life still in the set yet for the Spaniard, at 5-4, but to the dismay of his coaching team watching from the stands, he can’t hold his serve, and the Serbian wins the set 6-4 to level the match at 1-1.


With the crowd loving every minute, the third set blistered into life with a lightning display of tennis, but this time from just one of the two men slugging it out on court: Novak Djokovic. In a tremendous display of exhibition tennis, the Serbian hit winner after winner across court, beginning to establish his dominance. Nadal looking dejected, the wind taken out of his sails, Djokovic rattled off a wonderful set 6-2, to give himself a 2-1 set lead, and leave himself one set away from his third Australian Open title. Could the Spaniard fight his way back into the game?

In the fourth set the crowd seemed to get behind the world number two, Nadal, wishing wholeheartedly for the match to go the distance into a deciding set. The Serbian on the other hand, seemed to have other ideas, holding his serve with ease for the early part of the set, while forcing Nadal to battle to hold his own. Nadal, always a fantastic competitor, attempted to whip up the action into a Spanish frenzy, fist-pumping and leaping into the air, trying to establish himself in the game, and break Djokovic’s serve. 4-3 in the lead, and at the most crucial part of the set, Djokovic turned on the style with a fantastic three points to lead 40-00.

Intense, and staring down the barrel, Nadal incredibly won the next two points to leave Novak with just one break point. Sensationally, he couldn’t take it, and Nadal had fought his way back to 40-40. Two points later, as the heavens began to open, Nadal had against all odds levelled the match, with an incredible fight back. With the fourth set tied at 4-4, and the game-time coming around to four hours, another twist in the tale, the rain had become too much: the game must be stopped. An agonising fifteen minutes wait for both players as the roof comes across; the game still hanging right in the balance.

With rapturous applause the two warriors returned, with Djokovic looking to wrap this up, and Nadal looking to take it the very distance – the crowd with him all the way. The combatants traded blow for blow, sublime tennis producing cheers from the crowd that shook the foundations of the Rod Laver Arena. It seemed inevitable: a fourth set tie-breaker would be required to decide in what direction this match would go.


Once more the two locked swords: smashing impossible shots and hitting returns to produce lengthy rallies that in an ordinary match would have been over many shots earlier. The advantage had been on Djokovic to wrap this game up in the fourth but it wasn’t to be; Nadal battled furiously to win the tie-break 7-5, and the crowd had been rewarded: a fifth and final set would be needed to separate the two warriors.

With the games locked at 2-2 in the fifth, history had been made. These two had officially racked up the longest grand slam final in history, just moving past the five hour mark. Sensationally, both players lifted themselves for one final effort; as they matched each other serve for serve. In the sixth game, a switch of momentum in the air as Djokovic begins to tire; a break point for Nadal and he takes it to lead 4-2. Just two short games away from victory, but as always tennis can change in just a blink of an eye.


The numbers are just phenomenal, and no wonder Djokovic is tired and looks beaten. That’s ten hours of tennis in his semi-final and final combined, whereas his first five matches took ten hours and fifteen minutes combined. Compelling stuff, made even more so by Djokovic breaking straight back. That’s 4-4, and for a moment the two trade service games once more; 5-5. Who would break first? A battle of will and endurance: a battle of the mind. The crowd have begun to forget their alliances now; they cheer every point, and if it was only possible to crown both players the winner, I’m sure everyone would agree to do so.

Both players dig deep for one last momentous effort, but for one player the strain is just too much. Djokovic believes; he strikes for the killer blow to see off the Spaniard in front of him, and with some incredible play finds the break. He leads 6-5, and serves for the match and the tournament. For Nadal once again it isn’t to be; Djokovic collapses to the ground and the cheers and applause reverberates all around the stadium. Not just for the Serbian, but for Nadal too; both players producing a spectacle that has to be listed up there with the best of the finals there has ever been.

CJ de Mooi

Okay, so I know I said I wouldn't be posting for while, but I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to interview CJ de Mooi; a fantastic quizzer, and soon to be famous actor I'm sure. In any case, the questions and answers are below, enjoy.

Q. I'll start with the basics; how did you realise your enthusiasm for knowledge and love for quizzing? Were you the typical academic type who loved to learn at school, and just carried that forward in later life?

I hated school and standardised methods of learning. An academic education doesn't provide an education, it merely provides basic tools to pass the exams and once a pupil has passed from that system, he or she is somebody else's problem (usually no-one's) I was lucky in that I had a very good memory so I was able to just remember anything I wanted but there was still the feeling with a couple of the teachers that they themselves were simply one lesson ahead of those they were supposed to be preparing for adult life.

Q. What advice would you give to those looking to build up a base of facts quickly and effectively: is there certain techniques that you find helpful when reading around a subject?

Although it's tedious, the one thing you can't escape from is the learning of lists. There are so many basics such as UK Monarchs, US Presidents, Capital Cities and Olympic Games years but I can't emphasise the importance of dates too. A problem for me when starting out at the top level of quizzing was that I could only see history as a collection of disparate facts but once I learnt the dates, the story came together as a linear strand and it was much easier to relate events when I understood quite simply how they followed or preceded each other.

Q. Being an avid viewer of Eggheads, I enjoy watching the quiz battles that you take part in. Is your time with your team-mates always spent quizzing, or do you get the opportunity to spend time with them outside of the studio? If so, do you all get on well? (I can imagine debates get quite serious in such an intellectual group)

I spend a little social time with Kevin outside of the studio as I've pretty much given up full time quizzing, this tends to be just social. When I went to the formal quiz events, I would see Pat and Barry there regularly, and occasionally Daphne and Chris.

Q. Anyone that pays any attention to either your tweets or your comments on the television will note that you do enjoy your tennis and snooker. Have you always enjoyed them sports or did you have different preferences when you were younger? (PS: I'm very jealous of the pictures you put up from the World Championships this year)

I've never been into sport at all, having virtually never watched it and certainly never playing. However, snooker and tennis have always held my fascination with the former being a lifelong love and the latter being something in which my interest has waxed and waned over the years (when I was younger I found men's tennis tedious and would generally only watch women's but that situation has now reversed)

Q. From your twitter account I have also gathered that you have an interest in performing and of course for the West End. Are you a big fan of going to theatre as well? If so what are some of your favourite things that you have seen over the years?

Being an actor is the only thing I've ever really wanted to do. Before Eggheads there was no such thing as a professional quizzer and although I've enjoyed my time on the show, when one has a burning desire to do something else, that has to be quenched. Musical theatre is where my passion and abilities lie so I'm trying everything at the moment to get into the West End and won't rest until I've succeeded. My favourite musical is Priscilla Queen of the Desert and that would indeed be my dream job but there are several others I would be utterly delighted to be considered for. Outside of the genre though, one of the nest nights out I ever had was going to see the stage version of Frost/Nixon (I actually went with Kevin) starring Michael Sheen and Frank Langella before the film was made. An utterly superb production and much funnier and satirical than its later incarnation. However, this wouldn't be for me and my humble talents and musicals are my direction and where my career is heading.


CJ in the middle on the set of popular quiz show, Eggheads.

Q. Best of luck with the marathon(s) that I believe you have coming up soon. What times are you looking to rack up? Also, which charity will you be supporting? (I have a lot of admiration for people that put the hard-work and effort in before-hand with these races, like your good self)

The one 'sport' I actively take part in is running. Although I find the training extremely boring, I do have a talent for it and have several half and full marathons booked, and will be aiming for a sub 3 hour time when I run in London next April and well under 90 minutes for the halves. At the Great North Run I'm supporting Stonewall, The Cardiff Half is for Barnardos, The Brighton Half for The Sussex Beacon and the London Marathon is for my personally favourite charity The Albert Kennedy Trust.

Q. Lastly, I'd like to ask where you see yourself in ten years time? Do you feel that your performing breakthrough is just around the corner? (Lord knows, if anyone deserves the breakthrough for hard-work and persistence, you do)

I'm working very hard on my singing and especially my fitness and body appearance (both for vanity and West End expectations!) as performing is the only place I want to be and the only place I can see myself. I imagine Eggheads will be long finished by then (although who could have dreamed we'd already have lasted 8 years with another 2 at least and pass 1000 episodes with successful spin offs and merchandising?) There's always the option of retiring to a quiet island somewhere but I'm an applause junkie and think the draw would be too much!

I'd like to thank CJ for taking out the time to answer these questions and for giving me this chance to ask him a few questions.