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Novak Djokovic beats Lucas Pouille to set up Rafael Nadal final

Top seed Novak Djokovic set up a tantalising Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal by thrashing Lucas Pouille in a one-sided semi-final.

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Djokovic sinks Dimitrov for seventh Paris Masters title
Novak Djokovic beats Lucas Pouille 6-0 6-2 6-2 to set up Rafael Nadal final in the Australia Open
Novak Djokovic beats Lucas Pouille 6-0 6-2 6-2 to set up Rafael Nadal final in the Australia Open

Top seed Novak Djokovic set up a tantalising Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal by thrashing Lucas Pouille in a one-sided semi-final.

The Serb, 31, needed just one hour and 23 minutes to win 6-0 6-2 6-2.

Djokovic broke serve seven times as he outclassed 24-year-old Frenchman Pouille, seeded 28th and in his first Grand Slam semi-final.

Djokovic and Spaniard Nadal – who have 31 Grand Slams titles between them – meet on Sunday.

The world number one set up their first meeting in Melbourne since their epic six-hour final in 2012 – which the Serb eventually won – with a near flawless performance against Pouille.

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He made just five unforced errors and hit 29 winners on Rod Laver Arena.

“It is definitely one of the best matches I’ve ever had on this court,” said the 14-time major winner.

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“Everything worked how I imagined it before the match – it was a tough one for Lucas.”

Djokovic, is aiming for a seventh Australian Open crown, which would move him clear of Roy Emerson and Roger Federer in terms of all-time victories in Melbourne.

Nadal, who would trail Federer by two if he wins his 18th major, could become the first man to claim a second career Grand Slam in the Open era.

Dominant Djokovic sets tone from the start

Djokovic was competing in his 34th Grand Slam semi-final – a record bettered only by Switzerland’s Federer – against a player who had never won a main-draw match at Melbourne in his five previous visits.

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Although the pair had not met in a competitive match, they knew each other’s game because they have been regular practice partners in recent years.

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Unfortunately for Pouille, and those who had paid up to about £400 for a ticket, the second semi-final proved to be little more than a practice match for the world number one.

Pouille saw his serve come under immediate pressure in the second game, lumping a forehand long and then dumping another into the net to give Djokovic two break points.

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Although he saved both – the second with a 127mph ace out wide – Djokovic earned a third chance after outlasting him in a long rally to knock an inch-perfect forehand down the line.

This time Pouille buckled and handed over the advantage with a double fault.

That set the tone for an opener which Djokovic completely dominated.

Pouille’s first serve was down at 46%, allowing Djokovic to dismantle his second serve and win 77% of those points on his way to claiming 28 points compared to Pouille’s 12 in the first set.

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Djokovic also only made one unforced error, hitting 11 winners, as his 10th straight victory in a Grand Slam semi-final looked inevitable.

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