Novak Djokovic fights back from second-set loss to reach his 14th consecutive final in 2015 - UBITENNIS

Novak Djokovic fights back from second-set loss to reach his 14th consecutive final in 2015

By sampaolo
5 Min Read

Novak Djokovic fought back from a second-set loss to beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3 3-6 6-0 setting up a blockbuster final against Andy Murray in Paris Bercy. Djokovic has reached his 14th consecutive final at ATP level. Djokovic will be bidding to win his fourth title in Paris Bercy and his 10th title of the year after winning the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Rome, Wimbledon, US open, Beijing and Shanghai. Djokovic has extended his winning streak to 21 consecutive matches. His last defeat dates back to the Cincinnati final where he lost against Roger Federer.

Wawrinka put an end to Djokovic’s streak of 28 consecutive sets but Djokovic bounced back winning the third set with 6-0.

Djokovic won the first service game to love. Wawrinka went down 0-30 on his service game and had to save a break point but managed to hold his serve for 1-1. Djokovic earned two break points in the fourth game and converted his second chance to take a 3-1 lead as Wawrinka made a forehand unforced error. Djokovic pulled away to 4-1 with an ace.

Wawrinka served to stay in the set winning his service game for 3-5. He hit his backhand into the net to hand the final game to Djokovic who closed out the first set in 42 minutes.

Djokovic brought up two break points in the first game of the second set with a passing shot and converted it as Wawrinka hit a routine backhand into the net. Djokovic backed up his break to hold his serve in the second game for 2-0.

Wawrinka earned his first break points which Djokovic saved it after a 10-minute fourth game. Wawrinka earned three more break points which Djokovic fended off.

Wawrinka converted his fifth break point chance to get back on serve as Djokovic hit his volley long. Wawrinka got a second break of serve in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead as Djokovic’s forehand landed long. The Swiss player saved three break point chances in the seventh game to pull away to 5-2 before serving out to draw level. Wawrinka ended Djokovic’s streak of winning sets which dated back to his four-set win against Roger Federer in the US Open final.

In the second set Wawrinka hit 15 winners to 8 unforced errors and converted two of his seven break point chances.

Djokovic bounced back by breaking three times in the third set against a tired Wawrinka who had finished his hard-fought semifinal against Rafa Nadal at 1.15 am last night. Djokovic earned three match points at 5-0 and  converted his second chance to win the third set with a bagel. With this win Djokovic has avenged the defeat against Wawrinka who beat him in the Roland Garros final last June.

Djokovic hit 25 winners to 24 unforced errors, won 72 percent of his first service points, 20 points at the net and converted three of his five break point chances. Wawrinka hit 27 winnres to 31 unforced errors.

Tomorrow Djokovic will face Andy Murray, who beat his Serbian rival last August in in the Roger’s Cup final in Montreal. However, Djokovic beat Murray five times this year, including their last clash in Shanghai where the Serbian player dropped just four games. Djokovic has reached his 14th consecutive final setting an Open Era record.

Djokovic will be looking to win for the fourth time in Paris Bercy after beating Gael Monfils in 2009, David Ferrer in 2013 and Milos Raonic in 2014.

“I thought in the second, even though I lost the set, I felt there were very close games. Credit to Stan for playing a great second set, coming back, winning five games in a row, serving more accyrately, playing more accurately, getting more balls back and it worked for him. He played very well but I still felt I was hitting the ball well. With this kind of feeling and approach, I got to the third set an played the best set of this tournament so far”, said Djokovic

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