Images: Djokovic triumphs after five-hour struggle against Wawrinka

Jan 21, 2013   (6 images)

Defending champion Novak Djokovic fought an epic five hour battle against 15th-seeded, Stanislas Wawrinka in a pulsating fourth-round clash to advance to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. Wawrinka had taken an early 6-1 5-2 lead over the world number on before Djokovic took greater control of the rallies and waited for Wawrinka to make mistakes. Wawrinka, however, managed to send the match into a decider when he dominated the fourth set tiebreak before the world number one clinched a 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-7 12-10 victory on his third match point with a cross-court backhand winner. The match lasted five hours and two minutes. Images from the match.

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Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka rests on the net after losing his fourth round match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. Andrew Brownbill/AP

 

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, right, embraces  Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka after winning their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. Andy Wong/AP

 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia rips his shirt off as he celebrates winning in five sets in his fourth round match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. Julian Finney/Getty Images

 

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic rips his shirt off as he celebrates his fourth round win over Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka. Dita Alangkara/AP

 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia looks to the sky in frustration in his fourth round match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland . Julian Finney/Getty Images

 

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a backhand in his fourth round match against Novak Djokovic.  Robert Prezioso/ Getty Images