TENNIS – Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray in three sets with 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-0 to win the Miami Open title for the fifth time in his career. Nole becomes the first player in history to score the Indian Wells- Miami double in the same year for the third time. Djokovic improved his winning streak against Murray to seven consecutive matches Diego Sampaolo
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray met for the 26th time in their careers. Before today’s final Djokovic, four-time Miami champion, led 17-8 in their previous head-to-head matches and won nine of his last ten matches including the last six matches against his friend and rival Murray, who clinched the title in Key Biscayne twice in 2009 and 2013. Djokovic and Murray won six of the eight editions in Miami.
This year Djokovic beat Murray in the Australian Open final and in the Indian Wells semifinals. Murray beat Djokovic for the last time in the 2013 Wimbledon final. Djokovic beat Murray in three Australian Open finals, while the Dunblane secured his wins in the 2012 US Open final and in the 2013 Wimbledon final. Murray has not beaten Djokovic on hard-court since his US Open title in 2012.
Murray brought up an immediate break point but Djokovic saved it to hold serve after a seven-minute first game. Murray earned another break point in the third game and converted it to take the 2-1 lead. The early part of the opening set featured a series of spectacular rallies
Djokovic broke straight back for 2-2 after a double fault and two missed volleys. In the sixth game Murray sent his backhand pass down the line and hit a backhand smash reeling off eight consecutive points to hold serve to 3-3. The Dunblane star broke serve to love in the seventh game for 4-3 as Djokovic misfired three backhands. Djokovic broke back to draw level to 4-4. It was the fourth break in the first eight games. Djokovic went up 6-5 0-30 on Murray’s serve but the Scotsman recovered to hold his serve with a cross-court backhand winner after a 35-shot rally to force the set to the tie-break
Djokovic raced out to 4-0 thanks to a mini-break on the first Murray’s first service point. Murray got the mini-break to 2-4 thanks to Djokovic’s double fault and a winner by Murray Djokovic brought up three set points at 6-3 as Murray hit his forehand into the net and wraps up the set on the next point with 7-3 after 1 hour and 8 minutes.
After a spectacular start to the match, both players struggled in the sunny and hot conditions with a temperature of 30°C..The first ten games were won from the same end of the court.
Djokovic brought up a couple of break points at 1-1 but Murray held serve. Murray saved four break points in the third game. The Scotsman earned a break point chance after Djokovic made a double fault at 30-30 in the fourth game but he missed his chance with his backhand . In the tenth game Djokovic served to stay in the set but Murray broke serve to love at 5-4 thanks to a backhand winner on set point to force the match to the third set.
Djokovic received a code violation from the umpire as he reacted furiously in the direction of his players box.
The effort took its toll on Murray in the third set. As in the Australian Open Djokovic secured his title with a bagel win in the final set. Nole got a double break to storm out to a 3-0 lead. In the first game Murray hit two backhands into the net to drop his serve to love. Murray fended off five break points in the third game but he hit another backhand into the net to go down 0-3.
Djokovic won 16 of 22 points in the decider to clinch the third set with 6-0 after two hours and 47 minutes. He keeps a perfect 33-0 record after winning the first set in Miami. Djokovic converted on five of his 18 break point chances
With his 22nd Master 1000 title Djokovic is just one win away short of Federer’s tally of 23 wins I the series. Nadal leads the board with 27 Master 1000 titles.
“I am trying to enjoy the moment and utilize this time of my career where I am probably playing the tennis of my life and I am feeling confident and physically fit”, said Djokovic
Djokovic has become the first player to secure the Indian Wells-Miami double for the third time after winning both tournaments in 2011 and 2014. He also tied Roger Federer as the only players who were able to win the two US hard-court tournaments in two consecutive years. Djokovic also clinched the triple win Australian Open-Indian Wells-Miami for the second time in his career.
“It was a physical battle between the two of us that play a similar game. We haven’t served well, so we haven’t had that many free points. With first or second serves we needed to earn every single point, to work for it. The conditions were very tough-Andy made me play very long rallies. Andy has been playing so well here over the years. He lives here and spends a lot of time practicing on these courts, so he is familiar with the conditions”, said Djokovic
Murray will climb to third in the ATP Ranking. He will get married next week to his longtime girlfriend Kim Sears in Dunblane.
Murray trains in Key Biscayne and is familiar to this tournament where he won twice in 2009 and 2013.
“It has been a good start to the season so far. I am not quite there where Novak is at but I feel I am getting there. I am just getting there. I just need to keep working hard. I like the conditions here. I definitely feel I am playing better here than I was in Indian Wells. Over the course of my careeri have played much better tennis here”
TWIN BROTHERS BRYAN WIN THE DOUBLE TITLE
Bob and Mike Bryan battled past this year’s Australian Open finalist and Indian Wells champions Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock with 6-3 1-6 10-8 to clinch their fourth Miami title. They avenged their recent defeat against Pospisil and Sock who beat the US twins in the Indian Wells quarter finals.
The Bryans secured their 105th career title and their 33rd Master 1000 win. The US double stars dropped just one point on serve in the first set. Sock and Pospisil bounced back breaking serve early in the second set. The Bryans raced out to 8-4 in the tie-break but Pospisil and Sock reeled off four points in a row to draw level to 8-8 but Mike and Bob won the final two points to secure the win. They bumped their chest to celebrate their 105th career title.
