Djokovic retains O2 crown
Novak Djokovic successfully defended his Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over arch rival Rafael Nadal.
In their 39th meeting, Djokovic began with a forehand winner and broke Nadal in the second game by forcing the World No.1 into error with a forceful backhand up the line.
2010 finalist Nadal double faulted to face a further break point in the 4th game but Djokovic mistimed a backhand and the Spaniard held. A game later Nadal was back on serve after Djokovic sent a backhand beyond the baseline on a third break point.
Nadal levelled at 3-3 but served two double faults in the 8th game. On his second break point Djokovic finished a thrilling rally with a winning forehand volley to lead 5-3. He sealed the set a game later with an ace out wide.
Nadal was in trouble at love-30 on serve in the opening game of the second set but held on. But two games later Djokovic broke with a forehand return drilled into the corner which drew an error from the Spaniard.
The eight-time French Open champion fended off two break points at 2-4 with service winners but could not break the Djokovic serve.
The Serb reached match point in the 8th game but Nadal forced him into a backhand error to survive and held for 4-5.
Serving for the title Djokovic converted his third championship point when Nadal’s final forehand landed wide after an hour and 35 minutes.
The World No.2 has now won his last 22 matches following earlier victories in Beijing, Shanghai and Paris.
Stat Attack – Djokovic
- After previous wins in 2008 and 12 months ago, the Serb is the 7th man to win at least 3 year-end championships after John McEnroe (3), Boris Becker (3), Ilie Nastase (4), Ivan Lendl (4), Pete Sampras (5), and Roger Federer (6)
- Djokovic still trails Nadal 22-17 in their head to head series but has won 6 of their 9 meetings in hard court finals
Stat Attack – Nadal
- The World No.1 joins Vitas Gerulaitis (1979 and 1981) and Jim Courier (1991-92) as the only players to fall in multiple year-end finals without taking the title
Marrero and Verdasco upset Bryans in London
David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco lifted the doubles crown at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a thrilling 7-5, 6-7(3) 10-7 victory over the Bryan Brothers.
The 6th seeded Spaniards fended off four set points in the 10th game of the first set before taking the lead against the top seeds.
There were no breaks in the second set but the American twins pulled away in the tie-break to level the match.
However in the deciding match tie-break it was the underdogs who made the move early with Marrero and Verdasco building a 4-1 lead. They maintained the advantage and clinched their biggest career title after an hour and 44 minutes.
Stat Attack – Marrero/Verdasco
- The Spaniards had lost all three previous meetings against the Bryans, all of which had come on clay
- Both Marrero and Verdasco now move to new career high doubles rankings this week – Marrero at No.5 and Verdasco at No.8
Stat Attack – Bryan/Bryan
- The Americans now have a 3-2 finals record at the year-end championships after title runs in 2003-04 and 2009 and a previous runner-up finish in 2008