The ATP rule Novak Djokovic said he and Rafael Nadal were likely to break

The five-set marathon between the pair lasted five hours and 53 minutes, with both players completely spent by the end.

The following season, the ATP introduced tighter rules on time between points, aiming to speed up matches and crack down on slow play.

Speaking before the 2013 Australian Open, Djokovic acknowledged how those changes might affect him: “I guess Nadal and myself, we’re right up there mentioned in that topic as the players who would be always in danger of the time violation because of the time we are taking between the points.

“It is the way it is. I cannot have any complaints when I take more than 20 seconds between the points. If the chair umpire comes to me and said, ‘Listen, you should be a little bit more careful about it.’

“If I do it again, he gives me a warning, I can’t complain about it. It’s within the rules and I will respect it.”

Australian Open 2013: Novak Djokovic unfazed by ATP rule changes

Umpires at that year’s Australian Open took a softer stance, especially after players had raised concerns during the opening fortnight of the season.

The rule set a 25-second limit between points for ATP events and a 20-second limit at Grand Slams.

Under the enforcement, servers would first receive a warning, then face service faults for any further violations.

Djokovic didn’t seem bothered by the noise surrounding the new rules, going on to claim his third straight title in Melbourne.

He got past Andy Murray in the final, while Nadal missed out on the tournament due to illness. The Spaniard did return later that year though and went on to win both Roland Garros and the US Open.