The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic (right) and Rafael Nadal stretched nearly six hours before Djokovic finally won in five thrilling sets. (Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

The words “epic” and “best ever” have been tossed around to describe the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, a record-setting match that stretched for five hours and 53 minutes before Djokovic prevailed 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5. And those words would seem justified after such a grueling test of endurance and determination.

Still, many consider the 2008 Wimbledon final, Nadal’s first win over Roger Federer on the Wimbledon grass, to be the greatest match of all time. Others will look further back in the game’s  history. So where does this Aussie marathon final stack up? SI.com’s Bryan Armen Graham joins The Toss to discuss.

Today’s Toss: How does the 2012 Australian Open men’s final stack up against tennis’ greatest matches?

Courtney Nguyen: Thanks for joining me this week on the Toss, Bryan. I’m not sure we’ll be roping in as much of our movie knowledge in this one, but the drama that played out over five hours and 53 minutes offered more insight into the human condition than Tree of Life.

Now that we’ve had a few days to process the adrenaline high that was the men’s final, it’s time to get back to what tennis fans and pundits do best: comparisons. How does  Djokovic’s win over Nadal stack up against the greatest tennis matches of all time?

It was great, but it wasn’t the greatest.

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The 2012 Australian Open is in the books. The season’s first major was a wild one, with racket smashes, ballkids going viral and matches that both kept us on the edge of our seats and made us want to jump out of the stands altogether. Now a few days removed, we’ve had enough time to process the action and offer some of our best and worst moments. So let’s get to it.

Best Men’s Match, Week 1: Bernard Tomic def. Alexander Dolgopolov, 4-6, 7-6 (0), 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-3. More slicing and dicing than a Slap Chop commercial, these two provided a three-hour, 49 minute glimpse into the future with a variety of funky shot-making that seemed otherworldly in light of all the usual baseline bashing. Here’s a backhand slice winner from Tomic that provides a little glimpse of just how unusual this match was.

*****

Best Women’s Match, Week 1: Kim Clijsters def. Li Na, 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4. This could either go on the “best match” or “worst match” list, depending on your point of view. On one hand, it was painful to watch Li bail out Clijsters’ choke of a drop shot (at about the 1:45 mark below) by pushing the ball right back instead of putting it away on match point. The subsequent meltdown for much of the third set was equally hard to watch. That said, watching Clijsters hang on in that second set to force the tiebreak and then survive four match points (all on a bum ankle, mind you) was memorable stuff.

*****

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By C.W. Sesno, SI.com

Win a major, go on TV. That’s usually how it works, anyway. Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week to talk about her love of dancing and going from having thoughts of quitting tennis to becoming the newly crowned WTA No. 1. As a bonus, Ellen hooks her up with a travel buddy.

Here’s one last look at the kooky happenings in Australia, where the sun was bright and the tennis was memorable. Goodbye, Wacky Slam, you will be missed.

Speaking of which, if you missed our first set of offbeat Australian Open photos, you can see them here.

(Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic — “I do not like black shirts at Slams. I do not like them, Sam I am.”

*****

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were weary after a record-long match. (Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — Tennis hangovers are rough. May I suggest some Advil, water and sleep. Lots of sleep.

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New No. 1 Victoria Azarenka broke through while Novak Djokovic continued his dominance. (EPA)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic remains in beast mode. Victoria Azarenka announces her arrival on the big stage. Maria Sharapova continues to come up a bit short. Roger Federer’s Rafa problem persists. And the Americans are still waiting for a hero.

Those are just a few of the takeaways from the Australian Open. Let’s have a closer look at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year with some grades:

Champions and No. 1s

Novak Djokovic: A-plus. Djokovic’s reputation as a player of questionable fitness and, yes, heart, has been well-documented. But after his record five-hour, 53-minute performance in the final, which came a mere two days after a four-hour, 50-minute battle in the semifinals, I think it’s time we put all those old notes in the circular file.

In the past, when Djokovic has mounted unthinkable comebacks, most notably his two five-set rallies from match points down against Roger Federer at the U.S. Open, he has done so less by grinding down his opponent and more by having the courage (or stupidity, depending on whom you ask) to go for his biggest shots in the tightest of moments and leave the rest up to the fate.

There was no such thing against Rafael Nadal on Sunday. Djokovic trailed 2-4 in the fifth set and his engine was sputtering. Instead of trying to hit his way out of a jam, he knuckled down and fought to physically, mentally and tactically stay in each point in hopes that the match would break back his way. It did, thanks in part to a key backhand miss from Nadal, and Djokovic matched the Spaniard’s competitiveness and grit the rest of the way.

Just when we thought the book had been written on Djokovic, he unveils a new chapter. We learned a lot about the 24-year-old Serb during the weekend, but I suspect he learned a heck of a lot more.

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Novak Djokovic won his third Australian Open title and fifth major. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, Australia — The word “epic” gets thrown around a lot these days, a credit to the insane level of tennis that the top men have produced on a regular basis, seemingly on demand. Sunday’s Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal certainly earned that label — though it transformed into a classic almost out of thin air.

For three-and-a-half sets, the story was a familiar one. Djokovic, after a subpar first set, won the next two in pretty straightforward fashion and led 4-3 in the fourth with triple break point on Nadal’s serve. The way Djokovic was serving and playing, a break would surely propel him to a relatively routine victory, his seventh in a row against Nadal.

But the Spaniard, renowned for his competitiveness, would not go quietly. He reeled off five consecutive points to hold, and suddenly Djokovic had gone from being on the verge of closing out his third Australian Open title to confronting a resurgent Nadal in all his snarling, fist-pumping glory.

From there, the two best players in the world put on what Nadal called, in an understatement, a “very good show.” It was a little better for Djokovic, who rallied in the fifth set and outlasted Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in five hours and 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final since the Open Era started in 1968 and the longest Australian Open match in history.

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Novak Djokovic won the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in a historic Australian Open final on Sunday. Here are some facts and figures from the classic match:

5 hours, 53 minutes: Length of the match, the longest in Australian Open history and the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era (which started in 1968).

4 hours, 54 minutes: Previous record for longest major final, between Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl at the 1988 U.S. Open.

11 hours, 5 minutes: Longest men’s match in history, John Isner’s 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68 victory against Nicolas Mahut in the first round at Wimbledon in 2010.

10 hours, 43 minutes: Combined court time for Djokovic in the semifinals and final. He needed four hours and 50 minutes to beat Andy Murray in the semifinals on Friday.

1:37 a.m.: Local time in Melbourne when the final ended.

5: Players who have won three Grand Slam events in a row in the Open Era. Djokovic joins Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Nadal.

7: Consecutive victories for Djokovic against Nadal, all in finals, including the last three majors.

3: Consecutive Grand Slam final losses for Nadal, an Open Era record.

4: Players with at least three Australian Open titles in the Open Era. Djokovic joins Andre Agassi (four), Roger Federer (four) and Mats Wilander (three).

16-14: Head-to-head record between Nadal and Djokovic, with the Spaniard still ahead despite seven straight losses.

133-2: Nadal’s record when winning the first set in Grand Slam matches, according to the ATP Tour. The only losses are to David Ferrer at the 2007 U.S. Open and Djokovic at the 2012 Australian Open.

88: Minutes in the fourth set, which Nadal won in a tiebreaker.

82: Minutes in Saturday’s women’s final between Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova. Azarenka won 6-3, 6-0.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (left) and Rafael Nadal face off in the season's first Grand Slam final. (Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic outlasted Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 on Sunday to win the Australian Open in the longest Grand Slam final of the Open Era.

Djokovic won his third straight major and extended his winning streak over Nadal to seven.  Nadal became the first player in the Open Era to lose three consecutive Grand Slam finals.

Game-by-game analysis from the five-hour, 53-minute match is below.

Fifth Set

9:40 a.m. ET | Djokovic wins set 7-5, wins match 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5

After 5 hours and 53 minutes we find out what we knew all along: Novak Djokovic is simply unbeatable.

Nadal sends a backhand into the net on the first point and Djokovic gets to 30-love with an ace. At 30-15, Nadal sends back defensive slice after defensive slice and finally throws up a defensive lob that Djokovic sends into the bottom of the net. On the next point, Nadal spins his legs again, covering the court like a road runner, earning a backhand error from Djokovic and a break point.

Break point down, Djokovic does what he always does: he closes his eyes and takes a rip, crushing a backhand cross court winner. Nadal tries to do the same thing at deuce except his backhand clips the tape and goes wide, giving Djokovic his first match point. The Serb pleads to the heavens, settles himself, and then serves up the tee, getting a short reply, and finishes with a mid-court forehand.

That was an incredible almost six hours of tennis. This was a battle of wills, but in the end, when the margin for error was so small, Djokovic steeled himself to victory. He’s had some incredible wins during his otherworldly rise, but this is undoubtedly his biggest and most impressive of all. Huge heart from the Serb to beat back a charging Nadal.

9:31 a.m. ET | Djokovic leads 6-5

Momentum is a funny thing. Nadal looked down and out in the fourth set and squeaked it out in the end. Now Djokovic looked down and dusted through most of this fifth set but he’s broken and will serve for the match.

Djokovic gets a great return deep that Nadal hits out and he knows he’s got a chance on Nadal’s serve. The Serb buckles down and earns a break point after a lengthy rally and Djokovic is now hitting the ball well again. There’s more stick to his shots and they’re pushing Nadal back. Nadal saves one break point with a forehand winner, but he gives another one back with a forehand winner. Down break point, Nadal sends a backhand slice into the tape, and voila, Djokovic breaks.

9:22 a.m. ET | Set tied 5-5

Djokovic with a quick hold. He needed that.

It’s 5-5 in the fifth and this one is too tough to call right now. It feels like Djokovic has pulled the momentum back to even.

9:15 a.m. ET | Nadal leads 5-4

Djokovic gets within one point of being able to serve for this match but Nadal steps up, saving a break point and holding. The guts on display right now is absolutely insane.

A 35-shot rally ends when Djokovic finally blinks and sends a forehand long. He falls to the ground in exhaustion and the crowd comes to its feet to give the guys a standing ovation. This is incredible determination after five hours (and counting) of play. But Nadal sends a quick message to the struggling Serb. Before Djokovic is even back on his feet, Nadal is standing on the line ready to serve and get the next point started. At 30-30 Nadal hits an ace down the tee and Djokovic is now pleading with his racket for some help. He’s starting to look like a guy who cannot believe he’s in this situation, but behind that wry smile is the determination of a guy who’s not ready to let Nadal off the hook.

Djokovic saves game point with an inside-out forehand return winner, and an errant forehand gives him break point. At five hours and 30 minutes Nadal does what he did over an hour ago, he saves break point with a service winner and backs it up with another big serve that sets up a drop shot winner. Djokovic sends a backhand return long and with a “VAMOS!”, Nadal squeezes out the hold.

At 4-5, Djokovic is now serving to stay in the match from here on out.

9:05 a.m. ET | Set tied 4-4

I don’t know how he’s still standing, but Djokovic holds and kisses the cross around his neck.

At love-15, a grueling 25-shot rally ends at the net as Djokovic puts away the volley and the Serb smiles through heavy breathing. Everything has to be burning for him right now, his lungs and his legs. But credit to him, he’s fighting through it, getting a backhand error on a return from Nadal. And as Nadal has now dropped back into his defensive shell, Djokovic is controlling the rallies and going for winners. Not a good tactic from Nadal. The defensive game only works if he’s going to work Djokovic’s legs, not if he’s just going let the Serb take swings from the middle of the court.

8:59 a.m. ET | Nadal leads 4-3

Djokovic breaks back thanks to a bit of charitable hitting from Nadal and we’re back on serve.

Serving at 30-15, Nadal has plenty of time on a backhand at the net and he shockingly sends it wide. That ball changed everything in this game, as Djokovic earns a break point with some heavy hitting to Nadal’s forehand and then a perfect return on a second serve that skids off the baseline prompts a forehand error from Nadal. The Djoker is still kicking, but he’s still serving from behind at 3-4.

8:55 a.m. ET | Nadal leads 4-2

Nadal keeps working Djokovic’s legs while churning his own and it works. He gets the break and is in control of this match.

Djokovic has never won back-to-back five-set matches and he’s never had to play two consecutive grueling matches like this  and his 4 hour, 50 minute semifinal against Murray. His shots have lost their pop and Nadal is running everything down and getting a good strike on the ball. At 30-30, Nadal retreats to the back of the court and dares Djokovic to try and hit through him. On the 14th shot of the rally, Djokovic sails an inside-out forehand wide to give Nadal break point. He converts when Djokovic sends a forehand long. Nadal is two games away from getting the monkey off his back.

8:48 a.m. ET | Nadal leads 3-2

Nadal holds at love and he hasn’t dropped a point on his serve so far in this set. Djokovic is actually staggering after hitting his shots. We’ve seen this from Djokovic before and Nadal will pay no mind to the Serb’s body language.

We might need to get some espresso shots down on court. The lines judge just missed a call that was an inch out. Wake up, everyone!

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Rafael Nadal was 0-6 vs. Novak Djokovic last year, including 0-2 in major finals. (Icon SMI; Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic’s remarkable 2011 season included a 43-match winning streak, three Grand Slam tournament victories, 10 titles overall and a 70-6 record. But the most mind-boggling number of all was this: The Serb went 6-0 against Rafael Nadal, all in finals and twice in majors.

That Djokovic flipped the script so suddenly against the fiercest competitor in tennis was the story of the year. Djokovic had never defeated Nadal in a final before last year and no one foresaw his turning the tables so quickly and decisively, especially considering that Nadal had won three Grand Slam titles in 2010 and prevailed in both meetings with Djokovic. But Djokovic handled the Spaniard in the biggest tournaments, on three different surfaces, including twice on Nadal’s beloved red clay. When Djokovic beat him for a sixth consecutive time, in the U.S. Open final in September, Nadal looked broken both in spirit and body, bending over with his hands on his knees, the athlete’s signal for a tap-out.

Nadal, a 10-time Grand Slam champion, hasn’t spent much time as anyone’s punching bag in his career, and he vowed after the U.S. Open to “accept the challenge and work” to halt Djokovic’s dominance. Nadal’s first opportunity to do just that comes Sunday, when the top two players in the world meet in the Australian Open final (3;30 a.m., ESPN2), their Open Era-record third consecutive clash in a major-championship match.

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