Djokovic fights past Ferrer in Paris
Novak Djokovic won his 2nd BNP Paribas Masters crown in Paris after fighting past 2012 titlist David Ferrer 7-5, 7-5.
The Serb, fresh from title runs in Beijing and Shanghai, lifted his 16th Masters 1000 shield and 40th career singles title after an impressive battle with an in-form Ferrer, who had seen off Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.
The defending champion made the stronger start as Ferrer sealed a break in the fifth game with a winning backhand drop shot ending a 36 stroke rally.
The Spaniard fought to maintain the lead but serving at 5-4 Ferrer was broken by a Djokovic forehand winner up the line. The No.2 seed took the lead and broke again in the 12th game as an angled forehand forced Ferrer into error and after 52 minutes Djokovic had the lead.
No.3 seed Ferrer responded by breaking to open the second set when a Djokovic backhand drifted long. The Serbian Australian Open champion fended off two further break points in game three and kept the deficit to a single break.
Ferrer served to level the match at 5-4 but committed two errors from 30-all as Djokovic drew level. The 2nd ranked Serb moved ahead to 6-5 and converted his second match point a game later when Ferrer netted a final forehand after an hour and 52 minutes of battle.
Stat Attack: Djokovic
- It is the 3rd year in a row (and 4th in total) that the Serb has won at least 3 Masters 1000 shields
- Djokovic is the 15th man in the Open era to win 40 singles titles
Stat Attack: Ferrer
- After runner-up appearances in Stockholm and Valencia the Spaniard has reached 3 finals in consecutive weeks for the first time in his 13 year professional career
Italy regain Fed Cup crown
Italy won the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas title for the 4th time in 8 years with a 4-0 defeat of Russia in Sardinia.
In a thrilling opening rubber Italian No.2 Roberta Vinci clawed her way back from the brink of defeat to eventually see off World No.136 Alexandra Panova. World No.13 Vinci came from a set and 2-5 down and saved 4 match points before winning 5-7, 7-5, 8-6 after 3 hours and 13 minutes.
Italian No.1 Sara Errani saw off 18 year-old Irina Khromacheva 6-1, 6-4 to extend the lead and sealed the tie on the second day with a 6-1, 6-1 dismissal of Alisa Kleybanova.
Flavia Pennetta and Karin Knapp completed the tie with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 defeat of Khromacheva and Margarita Gasparyan.
Stat Attack – Italy
- Vinci is the longest serving Fed Cup player for Italy having represented her country for the last 12 years
- Italy are one of four nations – along with Australia, France and Great Britain – who have competed in every Fed Cup dating back to 1963
Stat Attack - Russia
- The Russians held a 5-1 head-to-head lead against the Italians and defeated them 4-0 in the 2007 final in Moscow
Halep comeback sees off Stosur in Sofia
Simon Halep was victorious at the Garanti Koza WTA Tournament Of Champions in Sofia to put the finishing touches on a breakthrough season for the 22 year-old Romanian.
Having eased through the group stages Halep was forced to come from a set down in the semi-finals to see off two-time champion Ana Ivanovic. The Romanian was made to battle again as 2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur came out firing in the final.
The 29 year-old Australian converted both her break points in the opening set as she aimed to avenge her loss to Halep in the recent Moscow final. Halep responded strongly and broke Stosur three times to level the match.
In the decider Halep reeled off five straight games from 1-2 and clinched her 6th title of the year with a final forehand winner after 97 minutes.
Stat Attack – Halep
- With 53 match wins in 2013 Halep trails only Serena Williams (78) and Agnieszka Radwanska (56)
- The Romanian now moves to a career high ranking of 11th a rise of 36 places from her 2012 year-end ranking of 47
Stat Attack – Stosur
- It is the second season that Stosur has reached 4 singles finals (2-2 record) following 2011 (1-3 record)