It was just their third meeting of a season where one had dominated, and the other had struggled. The match went to form, with Djokovic in an imperious mood, winning 6-2, 6-2.
What was important though, was despite the scoreline, there were flashes from Nadal at times in the first set that suggested there is hope for the rest of his season.
Djokovic had broken in the very first game of the final, breaking a lethargic Nadal to fifteen. Nadal did force a forty game in Djokovic’s next game, the Serbian holding without facing a break point. Nadal did create two break points in game six, with the backhand wing firing, as Djokovic tried to avoid the forehand. Both break points were saved, with a framed Nadal forehand, and a terrific pass that Nadal failed to deal with. Djokovic held as Nadal framed another forehand, then missed a ground-stroke by millimetres.
Djokovic then broke Nadal in another deuce game to lead five-two, before closing the set with a love service game. Djokovic was playing very well, though Nadal had glimmers of chances when he brought Djokovic forward.
Nadal held to thirty then immediately began to press again, the short ball again forcing Djokovic forward unwillingly, and again the pass brought Nadal to within striking distance at deuce. Djokovic though, continued to force the errors and he held.
Nadal then was pressed, slice errors again giving Djokovic a commanding love-thirty lead. Nadal then called for the trainer in the middle of the game, receiving treatment on his foot. Nadal hit an unreturned serve for fifteen- thirty, but a stunning rally where both players covered enormous ground, ended with a forehand winner for Djokovic. He then took control of the next rally, finally catching Nadal off balance on the backhand to lead in the second set.
Djokovic consolidated to thirty, in a game where Nadal ripped a return forehand winner off the Djokovic second serve. It was rare occurrence, both the Nadal winner and the Djokovic second serve, Nadal’s game having evaporated from close errors in the first set to seriously poor ones in the second set. Djokovic broke again for a commanding four-one lead when Nadal hit a tame forehand into the net.
Nadal tried to ask the question again in the next game, producing a trademark running forehand winner up the line for fifteen-thirty. Djokovic held firm, dealing with a vicious Nadal pass at the next, and an ace helping to get out of the game.
Djokovic was broken in serving for the match against Ferrer, but faced no such problems today, holding a tough game to deuce, but prevailing in a most one-sided encounter.
Djokovic now has a twenty-nine-love record in Shanghai, which is an ATP World Tour record, in starts at a tournament. Only Nad;s thirty-one-love at Roland Garros now betters Djokovic’s record.
Both men are in Shanghai next week. Djokovic could face Zhe Zhang again, if the Chinese wildcard can get past Martin Klizan,while Nadal will open against either Ivo Karlovic or Jeremy Chardy.
