WILLIAM WEST/ AFP
Novak Djokovic shrugged off controversy involving his father to achieve a record-extending tenth Australian Open last with a 7-5 6-1 6-2 win over outgunned American Tommy Paul on Friday.
Nine-times champion Djokovic will meet third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s decider after the Greek booked his first last at Melbourne Park by beating Russian Karen Khachanov within the earlier semi-final.
Serbian Djokovic’s father Srdjan created a distraction for his son forward of the semi-final after a video emerged displaying him posing with followers holding Russian flags, which had been banned at Melbourne Park early within the event.
With Srdjan declining to attend the semi-final for concern of making additional disruption for his son, fourth seed Djokovic was in a foul temper early at Rod Laver Arena and surrendered a 5-1 lead within the first set as unseeded Paul rallied to 5-5.
Djokovic then knuckled down.
In a livid counter-attack, he gained 14 of the following 17 video games to seal one other one-sided victory in his bid for a twenty second Grand Slam title.