Novak Djokovic defended his Australian Open crown and won a 17th Grand Slam after digging deep into his physical and mental reserves to beat Dominic Thiem in a gripping five-set final.

The Serbian second seed won 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 for a record-extending eighth title at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic, 32, twice called the doctor while trailing before fighting back.

Austrian fifth seed Thiem, 26, still awaits his first major title after losing a third Grand Slam final.

Djokovic, who fluctuated from steely brilliance to being emotionally erratic and back again, took the first of two championship points when Thiem pulled a forehand wide.

With Thiem getting plenty of support throughout in the Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic celebrated by putting a finger to his lip to shush some of the crowd, then breaking out in a grin before pointing to his box

Djokovic solemnly watched as he was lauded as the 'King of Melbourne' before an emotional winning speech where he talked about the "devastating" Australian bushfires, world conflicts and the death of American basketball great, and his "mentor", Kobe Bryant.

"I would like to say this is a reminder that we should stick together more than ever," Djokovic told the 15,000 crowd.

"Stay close to the people who love you. There are more important things in life."

His latest triumph moves him within three of Swiss Roger Federer's all-time leading tally of 20 men's singles titles, and only two behind Spain's Rafael Nadal, who is on 19.

The Serb's fightback ensured the wait continues for somebody to break the stranglehold of the old guard, with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer having won the past 13 Grand Slam titles.

No other player has won a men's major title since Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka won the US Open title in September 2016.

Djokovic will also return to the top of the world rankings, replacing Nadal, when they are published on Monday.

Fitting final to a dramatic tournament - but Djokovic provides a familiar ending

After an opening Grand Slam of the 2020 season which had pretty much everything, it was fitting that the tournament finished with another thrilling match.

Starting negatively amid a backdrop of devastating bushfires across Australia and players complaining about poor air quality, the mood was lifted across the fortnight by shock wins, incredible fightbacks and another star emerging in the women's game.

When 21-year-old American Sofia Kenin beat Spain's Garbine Muguruza on Saturday she became the eighth woman to win their first Grand Slam in the past 12 majors.

Thiem, having been a fixture in the top 10 for a number of years and winning 16 ATP titles, is far from being a new kid on the block.

But such has been the dominance of the 'Big Three', the Austrian remains a relative novice in the biggest finals as the younger players struggle to end their supremacy at the Slams.

On this occasion, like when Nadal beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the US Open final in September, Djokovic was able to navigate the difficult moments and come through to earn another special triumph.

Djokovic is the first man to win a Grand Slam title in three different decades since the Open era began in 1968.

Now the task of the younger generation is to stop Nadal and Federer doing the same.

Third time unlucky for Thiem

Thiem has long been considered one of the younger players most likely to end the dominance of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, although many expected that to come on his favoured clay surface at the French Open, where he has lost the past two finals to Nadal.

His game - based on crushing groundstrokes and athleticism - always had the potential to be successful on hard courts, and winning his biggest title on the surface at Indian Wells last March appeared to give him added belief.

With the men's semi-finals split across Thursday and Friday, Thiem had 24 hours less to recover than Djokovic and had spent almost six hours more on court over the fortnight.

That did not look to be a major factor, however, when Thiem moved one set away from finally getting his hands on a Grand Slam trophy at the third attempt.

Perhaps, ultimately, there was an element of fatigue - mental as well as physical - as Djokovic dug deep and Thiem hit 16 unforced errors in the fifth set.

Nevertheless, it appears only a matter of time before Thiem becomes only the second Austrian - after 1995 French Open champion Thomas Muster - to win a major singles title.

"You were very close to winning it and you definitely have a lot more time in your career. I am sure you will get a Grand Slam trophy, more than one," Djokovic told him.

Djokovic recovers from mid-match slump

Djokovic had eased through the draw with the concession of just one set, with a dominant service game that opponents had rarely broken.

He had raced to a 3-0 lead after a high-quality start but was then unable to sustain that level, mainly down to physical issues that flared up in the second set and continued through the third.

Djokovic disappeared off court at the end of the each set, also requiring a chat with the doctor on two separate occasions.

With the Serb constantly looking at the floor between points, walking wearily and mopping his brow, it was not a surprise that Thiem won six of seven games on the way to a two-sets-to-one lead.

Djokovic was also angered at a crucial juncture of the second set when he was docked a first serve for twice taking longer than the 25 seconds allowed to serve.

The Serb looked furious with the decision as Thiem punished the second serve to break for 5-4, sarcastically congratulating umpire Damien Dumusois and tapping his foot when he passed the chair at the changeover.

"Great job, you made yourself famous," he told the Frenchman.

Djokovic was seen taking on liquids and an energy gel and his level improved in the fourth set, when he was helped by Thiem double-faulting to hand him two break points. He converted one of them for a 5-3 lead and then served out the set to love, sealing it with an ace, and then barely looked back.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

For the first three games, and for the whole of the final set, Djokovic played as well as even he could have hoped for.

But there were some very stressful times in between, illustrated in part by the sarcastic exchange with umpire Dumusois for issuing him two time violations in the space of a single game.

In the third set, Djokovic looked listless and lacking direction - later explaining he felt dizziness caused by dehydration.

The end result was the same though. An eighth final in Melbourne, and an eighth title. He is almost as difficult to beat on the Rod Laver Arena as Rafael Nadal is on Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris.

All of which means Thiem will have to wait a little longer for a first Grand Slam title. It is not likely to get any easier as the year goes on, but he has evolved over the past 12 months into a player capable of winning Grand Slams away from Roland Garros.

He now looks likely to be an imminent Grand Slam champion, although the 22 hours and 23 minutes he spent on court in Melbourne (that's nearly three and a quarter hours per match) probably took its toll here in the end.

Wales women opened their Six Nations campaign with a narrow defeat to last year's runners up Italy.

The Azzuri enjoyed the lion's share of possession and territory, but survived a spirited comeback from the hosts.

Hooker Melissa Bettoni opened the scoring before Wales centre Hannah Jones crossed from a dazzling run.

Two quick second-half tries from wings Maria Magatti and Sofia Stefan proved decisive, while Kelsey Jones' late effort revived Welsh hopes.

Wales started brightly and were rewarded with an early penalty which Robyn Wilkins slotted over.

But as momentum shifted they were made to defend relentless Italian pressure.

Bettoni looked to have scored the opening try, only for her close range effort to be ruled out by the TMO for blocking in the build up.

Magatti also celebrated in vain with her first try held up after a brave tackle by full-back Kayleigh Powell, who later left the pitch injured.

Italy scored at the third time of asking, Bettoni powering through the Welsh defence from two metres out.

Wales, who looked dangerous in attack, responded almost immediately with returning sevens player Hannah Jones enjoying a great run from the 22 to cross on her 25th cap.

Wilkins added the difficult touchline conversion to give Wales a 10-5 half-time lead.

Italy came out firing after the break and rarely left the Welsh 22. They had two further disallowed tries by the TMO before the Welsh defence eventually cracked.

An explosive break by scrum-half Sara Baratt almost saw her score but Jasmine Joyce cut her down a metre short. Magatti scooped the ball up to go under the posts, with Michaela Sillari adding the conversion.

Italy's other winger Stefan got in on the scoring soon after, with Sillari again adding the extras.

The visitors could have easily ran away with it, but Wales cut the deficit during a rare visit to the Italian half, with hooker Kelsey Jones crossing in the corner on her first Six Nations start.

And with just a score separating the sides in the dying minutes, both sets of fans rallied their sides, only for the clock to run out for Wales.

Teams

Wales: Kayleigh Powell; Jasmine Joyce, Hannah Jones, Kerin Lake, Lisa Neumann; Robyn Wilkins, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Cerys Hale, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis, Siwan Lillicrap (capt).

Replacements: Molly Kelly, Cara Hope, Ruth Lewis, Georgia Evans, Alisha Butchers, Manon Johnes, Ffion Lewis, Paige Randall

Italy: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; Maria Magatti, Michela Sillari, Beatrice Capomaggi, Sofia Stefan; Beatrice Rigoni, Sara Barattin; Silvia Turani, Melissa Bettoni, Lucia Gai, Valeria Fedrighi, Giordana Duca, Ilaria Arrighetti, Giada Franco, Elisa Giordano

Replacements: Giulia Cerato, Erika Skofca, Michela Merlo, Sara Tounesi, Lucia Cammarano, Francesca Sgorbini, Laura Paganini, Benedetta Mancini

Ireland held off a relentless Scotland in a nailbiting finish at Donnybrook to open their Six Nations campaign with a vital win.

Beibhinn Parsons' 67th-minute intercept try looked to have sealed the deal for Ireland but Emma Wassell replied for Scotland with four minutes left.

Earlier scores from Cliodhna Moloney and Sene Naoupu put Ireland in control.

Lisa Thomson's late first-half try had dragged Scotland back into the game.

The opening half hour belonged totally to Ireland, who stretched into a 13-0 lead. But Scotland's physicality soon granted them a foothold in proceedings and they were the dominant force during a tense second half.

The two sides will take part in a World Cup qualification tournament later this year, and on the basis of Sunday's showing there is little, if anything, separating the two.

Moloney spearheads Ireland's fast start

Last year Ireland's only win of the tournament came in a 22-5 win over Scotland in Glasgow, and the earlier signs in Dublin on Sunday were that the result would be similarly favourable for Adam Griggs' side.

Ireland were in control until the 27th minute, when hooker Moloney was forced off the field with a head injury.

Up until that point, the forward had been the game's dominant force, setting her stall out with a brilliant turnover on halfway inside two minutes.

Eight minutes later Moloney was found in space, and the hooker threw a dummy before straightening up and surging past three defenders for the game's opening try.

It was not long before Ireland extended their lead. This time it was Naoupu, on her 36th birthday, to benefit from an overlap on the right, bursting through a gap to score following Michelle Claffey's initial break.

Moloney remained at the heart of everything, forcing another penalty just a minute before a collision with Thomson ended her day.

Scotland superb in the scrum

After a slow start had provided little to cheer about from a Scottish perspective, they gradually wrestled control from their hosts through dominance in the set-piece.

The last 10 minutes of the first half saw Scotland rip through two Irish scrums to create excellent field position.

The second effort saw them move deep into Irish territory as they probed for an opening.

Thomson picked the perfect line to scythe through Ireland's defence as Scotland reduced their deficit to six points by the interval.

The pattern continued into the second half, when Scotland set up camp in the Ireland half as the hosts struggled to find any respite from the Blue onslaught.

Parsons makes game-winning play

Scotland's dominance was such that a try appeared something of an inevitability.

Eventually they moved the ball right with an overlap on, only for Parsons to step out of the line and execute a perfectly timed intercept.

Had she missed the move by a beat, Scotland would certainly have scored. As it was, the wing picked it off and ran the length of the pitch to put Ireland into an 18-7 lead with 10 minutes remaining.

Scotland were not done though and they rampaged back down the field. This time they found a clinical finish when Wassell spotted a space to charge through, allowing hooker Lana Skeldon to convert and narrow the gap to four with four minutes remaining.

But Ireland held out to claim a dramatic but vital win.

LINE-UPS

Ireland: Delany; Doyle, Naoupu, Claffey, Parsons; Murphy, Dane; Peat, Moloney, Djougang; McDermott, Fryday; Griffin, McMahon, Caplice.

Replacements: Dabanovich O'Mahony, Feely, Lyons, Cooney, Wall, Cronin, Keohane, Sheehan.

Scotland: Rollie, Lloyd, Smith, Thomson, Gaffney, Nelson, McDonald; Bartlett, Skeldon, Forsyth, Wassell, Bonar, Malcolm, McLachlan, Konkel.

Replacements: Wright, Muzambe, Cockburn, Cattigan, McMillan, Law, Tonkin, Wallace.

England started the defence of their Women's Six Nations title with a hard-fought win over France in a gripping encounter in Pau.

Abby Dow and Vicky Fleetwood scored tries as the Red Roses dominated early on, but Laure Sansus crossed to start a France fightback before the break.

The second half was evenly contested until Emily Scarratt raced clear for a fine solo try that she also converted.

Jessy Tremouliere's penalty reduced the gap but England held on.

Although victory was England's fifth in a row over France, it was their first in France in the Six Nations since 2012.

France respond to strong England opening

England's strong opening suggested they might be in for a comfortable time, along the lines of their 41-26 win in Doncaster in the 2019 edition of the Six Nations.

Dow had time and space to dot the ball down near the corner in the ninth minute, and Fleetwood bundled over from close range following a powerful lineout drive before the first half's mid-point.

But England did not capitalise on their excellent start and France scored from their first serious attack.

A break from captain Gaelle Hermet allowed scrum-half Sansus to touch down near the posts for a converted try, and a penalty from Tremouliere reduced England's lead to two points by half-time.

Substitutes make a difference

Sarah Bern, who replaced Shaunagh Brown at tighthead at the interval, rampaged over early in the second half, but crossing in midfield by Sarah Beckett saw the try chalked off.

France began to look the stronger side in the scrum as the half wore on in temperatures of about 22C.

However, the match turned on a moment of brilliance from another England substitute. Amber Reed's deft offload on the 10-metre line put centre Scarratt, the World Rugby Women's Player of the Year, in the clear to race away from the France defence.

Tremouliere's boot took Les Bleues to within a converted try of victory, but England expertly ran down the clock.

They remain favourites for the title, although last year's runners-up Italy are one of their two remaining away games.

'You can barely hear each other' - reaction

England captain Sarah Hunter: "We relish playing in front of a partisan crowd. You can barely hear each other, let alone think.

"Fair play to France - they kept coming and coming. It took us a long time to get a win in France. We know every time we come it will be difficult and they certainly didn't let us down today.

"We're not a complacent team at all. The coaches and the girls don't let us do that.

"It's about recovery. We've got a short turnaround before we play Scotland next week.

"We've got off to a good start but we have to keep going, that's for sure."

France centre Gabrielle Vernier: "Our performance was a bit disappointing. We weren't at the right level in the first half.

"We had difficulties in defence. It killed our game. We did better in the second half but it was too late to come back and win the game.

"We have to be more careful with our defence for the next game. We were great in the scrum. We failed at the basics of rugby. We are of course very disappointed.

"Sometimes we weren't happy with the referee's decisions. We have to accept that and work harder in the next game."

LINE-UPS

France: Tremouliere, Boujard, Boudaud, Vernier, Banet, Bourdon, Sansus; Arricastre, Sochat, Deshaye, Forlani, Fall, Ferer, Hermet (c), R Menager.

Replacements: Thomas, Traore, Joyeux, N'Diaye, Annery, Peyronnet, Konde, M Menager

England: McKenna, Dow, Scarratt, Harrison, Breach, Daley-McLean, Hunt; Botterman, Cockayne, Brown, Cleall, Aldecroft, Beckett, Fleetwood, Hunter (c).

Replacements: Davies, Cornborough, Bern, Millar-Mills, Harper, Riley, Reed, Scott.