Tennis: Djokovic Downs Nadal for Miami Crown, Keeps Perfect Record Intact

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at Internationaled.org

Published: April 4, 2011

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A dogfight. A war of attrition. An instant classic.

Call it what you will, Novak Djokovic's gutsy 4-6 6-3 7-6(4) triumph over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open will go down as one of the Serb's finest victories of his career.

The three hour, 21 minute win extended the world No. 2's season record to a flawless 24-0 (26-0 including Davis Cup).

The final had all the makings of a memorable clash: A man with an unbeaten start to the year, gunning for a fourth title in a row.

His opponent: The tour's top player, title-less since October and seeking revenge after a deflating defeat in last week's final.

Factor in a frenetic crowd, unwavering heat and a prestigious trophy up for grabs, and it's no surprise the match came down to the wire.

"It was one of the closest and best finals I played ever," Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. "Of course [Nadal] is [the] No. 1 player in the world, and at this stage he's always playing his best."

But for the second straight championship in a row against the Serb, Nadal couldn't produce his normal brand of high-level tennis on a consistent basis. He struggled at times on serve, winning 45 percent of his second serve points and smacking six double faults—including a pivotal one at 2-2 in the tiebreak.

He succumbed time and time again to Djokovic's favored dropshot-lob combination. He seemed tight and tentative with the backhand for the majority of set three. And, strangely enough, he was feeling the effects of the heat more than his opponent.

The most physical specimen tennis has ever seen—hunched over and out of breath after many late-match rallies? Guess he's mortal after all.

"I think I didn't play as well as I did during a lot of moments of this tournament today," the Mallorcan said afterwards.

"I was a little bit more tired than usual during the match, that's t...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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