Djokovic routs Nadal to win fourth Miami title

MIAMI — Six-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic claimed his fourth Miami Masters crown with a dominating straight sets win over world number one Rafael Nadal on Sunday.

Second seed Djokovic cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win in the men’s final of the combined ATP and WTA Tour hardcourt tournament.

“I played a great match everything was working really well,” Djokovic said. “I didn’t give him a chance to come back in the match. I am really excited.”

Djokovic, who benefitted from two walkovers, didn’t drop a set winning his third Miami title in four years and fourth in total to add to triumphs in 2007, 2011, and 2012.

Djokovic clinched the victory on his first championship point, capping a long rally with a clever volley that landed in the open court at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.

The 26-year-old Serbian had a relatively easy time beating Nadal. His serve was bigger and his defense stronger as he came in with the perfect game plan to collect the $787,000 (572,000 euros) winner’s cheque.

He blasted five aces, won 30 of 35 points on his first serve and had no double faults in the 83-minute contest.

Djokovic captured his second straight Masters title having won two weeks ago in the California desert at Indian Wells. He has fond memories of playing in the US and especially on the hardcourts in Florida.

“We come here to play in the United States for four weeks,” Djokovic said. “It gives you plenty time to recover. I love the hardcourts and it is my most preferred surface. In 2007 I won my first big title here in Miami.”

The match started evenly until Djokovic broke Nadal in the first set to go up 3-2. He took the set when Nadal failed to return a serve.

Djokovic broke to open the second set then broke the Spaniard again in the final game of the match.

‘Hard time reading my serve’

Djokovic said once he got into a good flow the shots were falling right where he wanted them to.

“I just started swinging freely and had good percentages on my first serves,” Djokovic said. “He had a hard time reading my serve.

“I had a few game plans. I wanted to get out there and see what works the best.

“He serves and likes to move to the backhand corner. He runs around his backhand so that he opens the court for his opponent on forehand side.”

Thirteen-time major winner Nadal was looking for his maiden win in Miami after losing in the final in 2011, 2009 and 2008.

Nadal, who has won two titles in 2014 in Doha and Rio de Janeiro, had two aces and won just 59 percent of his first-serve points.

“He was better than me in everything,” said clay-court specialist Nadal. “He was able to find the right spot, the right position.

“Playing against him is the worst thing that can happen to me because he has a better return than mine, he has a better serve than my one, especially on this surface.”

Nadal says he can’t put his finger on the reason he is unable to win in Miami. He said Miami should be no different than the other 26 Masters events he has triumphed in.

“In no tournament have I lost this many finals,” he said.

Asked if he had a mental block he said, “I don’t think so, no, no.

“Maybe you tell me. There is no mental block on something you have won 26 times. Need to find another excuse.”

Sunday was just the second time the top two players in the world have faced each other in the Miami final. In 1995, Andre Agassi squared off against Pete Sampras.

In an unprecedented twist, both had advanced from the final four without lifting their racquets after their semi-final opponents — Kei Nishikori and Tomas Berdych withdrew, Nishikori with a groin injury and Berdych with a gastric ailment.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Murray, Djokovic to meet again at Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Florida  — Even with his surgically repaired back still nowhere near perfect, defending champion Andy Murray needed only 73 minutes to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-1 at the Sony Open on Tuesday and set up a quarterfinal with Novak Djokovic.

“My game is getting there,” said Murray, the No. 6 seed, who acknowledged he was dealing with a sore back. “The last six sets I’ve played, very high-level tennis, very few errors.” 


He’ll need to keep it that way against Djokovic, who eased past Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5.

The second-seeded Djokovic even gave back a point in the second set. A groundstroke from Robredo clipped the baseline and Djokovic couldn’t handle it, but the ball was erroneously called out. After a review showed the ball was in, the point was ordered to be replayed.

Djokovic shouted “It’s OK, it’s OK” as the fans applauded his sportsmanship.

“For me, it’s something that is part of the sport, fair play,” Djokovic said. “I expect everybody else to do the same. Of course, not everybody’s the same, but for me, that’s something that’s normal. Just a normal, natural reaction.”

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal downed 14th-seeded Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2. Nadal has dropped a total of nine games in six sets so far in this tournament.

Singles players with a combined 66 Grand Slam victories were in action Tuesday, including Roger Federer — a winner of 17 of them himself. And he looked very much like the Federer of old, needing only 49 minutes to beat ninth-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-2.

“Look, things went well out on the court today,” Federer said, clearly understating matters.

Federer, the No. 5 seed, had 25 winners to Gasquet’s eight, converted five of his six break chances and won 92 percent of his first-serve points in the second set. Next up for Federer is 20th-seeded Kei Nishikori, who upset No. 4 David Ferrer 7-6 (7), 2-6, 7-6 (9).

Ferrer had beaten Nishikori in the same round at Key Biscayne a year ago, their most recent meeting before Tuesday. No. 22 Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine also pulled off an upset, topping third-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals.

The last American in the men’s draw was ousted when 10th-seeded John Isner lost to No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5.

On the women’s side, Maria Sharapova rallied from a break down in the first set to oust Petra Kvitova 7-5, 6-1 and earn a spot in the semifinals. She’s been a finalist at Key Biscayne five times, but never the champion.

“I love the energy here,” she said.

The fourth-seeded Sharapova, who needed three-setters to get through her two most recent matches at Key Biscayne, feasted on 30 unforced errors by the eighth-seeded Kvitova. Sharapova won 11 of the final 13 games and moved into a semifinal matchup with Serena Williams, the defending champion who won 62 of 100 points in her 6-2, 6-2 romp over fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber.

Williams broke Kerber twice in each set, faced only one break point and held a more than 2-to-1 advantage in winners.

“It’s really special,” said Williams, who makes her home in South Florida and has been wearing outfits with Miami Dolphins NFL colors in this tournament. “I live so close to here. I can drive here … it’s a great opportunity to play at home.”

Also, former No. 1 Martina Hingis teamed with Sabine Lisicki to reach the doubles quarterfinals.

source: sports.inquirer.net