London win caps Djokovic season
Source: Agencies |
November 14, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
EVEN when Roger Federer had the lead, Novak Djokovic had the answers. The top-ranked Serb recovered from early breaks in both sets and beat Federer 7-6 (6), 7-5 on Monday in the championship match at the ATP finals in London.
Federer broke Djokovic's serve to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first set, and then again to open to the second set, but both times the world's No. 1 player rebounded to get back into the match. "It's not the first time that Roger starts against me so well," Djokovic said.
"I've experienced before his aggressivity, really trying to put his mark on the match. It's what he's done again."
Federer indeed started well, winning the opening nine points and 12 of the first 14 to take a 3-0 lead. He then won the first point of the fourth game, but Djokovic finally held his serve - and soon broke back.
In the ninth game, Djokovic broke again to serve for the set at 5-4, but Federer evened the score and forced the tiebreaker.
"Maybe a bit of regret because I had the lead twice first before him," said Federer, the two-time defending champion. "At the end of the day, that doesn't matter. You have to get over the finish line in the set and then obviously at the match. He was better at that today."
The crowd at the O2 Arena was decidedly in Federer's favor, but they cheered loudly throughout the match as both made spectacular shots, including a match-ending backhand passing winner from Djokovic.
"It's best way to finish the match, I guess, with a passing shot, one of my favorite shots," Djokovic said.
The highlight for Federer came in the tiebreaker with Djokovic holding his second set point. Djokovic hit a forehand drop shot with Federer up at the net. The ball drifted past the second-ranked Swiss, but he chased it down and whacked a forehand winner to even the score at 6-6.
Two points later Djokovic was the one celebrating, ending the set with a forehand winner on his third set point.
To start the second set, Federer broke Djokovic for the third time and then held all the way to 5-3. A game later and serving for the set, Federer had two set points but he put a forehand wide and a then forehand into the net.
Two more Federer mistakes put Djokovic back on serve and back on track for the title. The Serb closed it out with the backhand passing winner to improve his head-to-head record against Federer to 3-2 this year, and 13-16 overall.
"I shouldn't have been broken as often as I was broken today," said Federer, who lost his serve twice in each set.
Federer finished the match with 30 winners, 11 more than Djokovic. But he also had 42 unforced errors to Djokovic's 28.
"Obviously I was going to try to go after my shots and not just hand it to him. That's just how I play tennis," Federer said. "If I have 80 errors and I win the match, I don't care."
Federer broke Djokovic's serve to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first set, and then again to open to the second set, but both times the world's No. 1 player rebounded to get back into the match. "It's not the first time that Roger starts against me so well," Djokovic said.
"I've experienced before his aggressivity, really trying to put his mark on the match. It's what he's done again."
Federer indeed started well, winning the opening nine points and 12 of the first 14 to take a 3-0 lead. He then won the first point of the fourth game, but Djokovic finally held his serve - and soon broke back.
In the ninth game, Djokovic broke again to serve for the set at 5-4, but Federer evened the score and forced the tiebreaker.
"Maybe a bit of regret because I had the lead twice first before him," said Federer, the two-time defending champion. "At the end of the day, that doesn't matter. You have to get over the finish line in the set and then obviously at the match. He was better at that today."
The crowd at the O2 Arena was decidedly in Federer's favor, but they cheered loudly throughout the match as both made spectacular shots, including a match-ending backhand passing winner from Djokovic.
"It's best way to finish the match, I guess, with a passing shot, one of my favorite shots," Djokovic said.
The highlight for Federer came in the tiebreaker with Djokovic holding his second set point. Djokovic hit a forehand drop shot with Federer up at the net. The ball drifted past the second-ranked Swiss, but he chased it down and whacked a forehand winner to even the score at 6-6.
Two points later Djokovic was the one celebrating, ending the set with a forehand winner on his third set point.
To start the second set, Federer broke Djokovic for the third time and then held all the way to 5-3. A game later and serving for the set, Federer had two set points but he put a forehand wide and a then forehand into the net.
Two more Federer mistakes put Djokovic back on serve and back on track for the title. The Serb closed it out with the backhand passing winner to improve his head-to-head record against Federer to 3-2 this year, and 13-16 overall.
"I shouldn't have been broken as often as I was broken today," said Federer, who lost his serve twice in each set.
Federer finished the match with 30 winners, 11 more than Djokovic. But he also had 42 unforced errors to Djokovic's 28.
"Obviously I was going to try to go after my shots and not just hand it to him. That's just how I play tennis," Federer said. "If I have 80 errors and I win the match, I don't care."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
