Game, set, mismatch!

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

Novak Djokovic was so good, so relentless, so flawless, that Rafael Nadal never stood a chance.

Djokovic reduced one of the greats of the game to merely another outclassed opponent — just a guy, really — and one so out of sorts that Nadal even whiffed on one of his famous forehands entirely.

In a breathtakingly mistake-free performance that yielded a remarkably lopsided result, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic overwhelmed Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 yesterday to win a record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title, raising his count to 15 overall.

“Under the circumstances,” Djokovic said, “it was truly a perfect match.”

No one who saw it would disagree.

Djokovic’s coach, Marian Vajda, said: “I would describe it as dominance.”

Nadal’s take? “An amazing level of tennis.”

“Unbelievable,” said Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moya. “Novak probably could have won, no matter who the opponent was.”

That Djokovic would produce 34 ­winners and only nine unforced errors was impressive enough. That it came against Nadal — who is ranked No. 2, owns 17 major trophies himself and had not dropped a set in the tournament — was hard to comprehend.

Djokovic left Nadal smirking or gritting his teeth or punching his racket strings, unable to compete at all.

Here’s how Nadal explained it: To have a chance when Djokovic plays that well, something extra is required. Given that he is coming off a series of injuries, given that he had not played since the US Open last September, Nadal could not raise his game.

Then again, Nadal conceded, “When the player did almost everything better than you, you can’t complain much.”

So Djokovic added to previous triumphs in Melbourne in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016, along with four titles at Wimbledon, three at the US Open and one at the French Open.

He broke his tie with Roger Federer and Roy Emerson for most Australian Open men’s titles. He also broke a tie with his idol, Pete Sampras, for third-most Grand Slam trophies; Djokovic now only trails Federer, with 20, and Nadal.

Djokovic’s Grand Slam Finals Results

Record: 15-9

2007 US Open — lost to Roger Federer, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4.

2008 Australian Open — beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

2010 US Open — lost to Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

2011 Australian Open — beat Andy Murray, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

2011 Wimbledon — beat Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.

2011 US Open — beat Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1.

2012 Australian Open — beat Rafael Nadal, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5.

2012 French Open — lost to Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

2012 US Open — lost to Andy Murray, 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2.

2013 Australian Open — beat Andy Murray, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2.

2013 Wimbledon — lost to Andy Murray, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

2013 US Open — lost to Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

2014 French Open — lost to Rafael Nadal, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4.

2014 Wimbledon — beat Roger Federer, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4.

2015 Australian Open — beat Andy Murray, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0.

2015 French Open — lost to Stan Wawrinka, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

2015 Wimbledon — beat Roger Federer, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-3.

2015 US Open — beat Roger Federer, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

2016 Australian Open — beat Andy Murray, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

2016 French Open — beat Andy Murray, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

2016 US Open — lost to Stan Wawrinka, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

2018 Wimbledon — beat Kevin Anderson, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3).

2018 US Open — beat Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

2019 Australian Open — beat Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.