Novak Djokovic has claimed a record-breaking 28th Masters title after easing to a 6-3, 6-3, victory against an erratic Kei Nishikori in the final of the Miami Masters.
The performance was far from perfect from the world No.1 as he battled against the blustery conditions in Miami against a lackluster Nishikori, who was also nursing an injury scare during the later stages of the match.
Kicking-off his ninth meeting against Nishikori in Miami, Djokovic endured a roller coaster opening set that consisted of high and low points for both players. The Serbian encountered tough opposition from the onset after a series of deep returning shots enabled Nishikori to break in the first game of the match. The early initiative taken by the Japanese player was soon wasted after an error-stricken game followed to allow Djokovic to break back. As the set progressed, the Serbian regained control of the match after a sharp return to the baseline forced Nishikori to return the ball to the net, rewarding Djokovic a break for 4-2. In a the tough Miami conditions, both players struggled at times with their shots. Unexpectedly, Nishikori once again broke the Djokovic serve, but this time it was in a bizarre way. A return of Djokovic’s serve landed near the line, however, unknown to Djokovic it landed out. The Serbian had the chance to challenge, but opted not to, puzzling tennis pundits all over the world.
Closing out the opening set, Djokovic was aided by an erratic Nishikori. A poor service game, consisting of four unforced errors from the Japanese player, allowed Djokovic to stroll to 5-3 without little difficulty. Serving for the set, Djokovic had all the answers to every question asked by his opponent, clinching the set after error No.13 came from Nishikori.
Novak Djokovic amazing double backhand vs… by allsports0
Djokovic’s route to his 28th Masters title was granted another significant boost at the start of the second set. As the wind wreaked havoc during the rallies, a poor smash followed by a backhand error from Nishikori, granted the top seed the early break. Unlike the start of the match, the focus for Nishikori was to manage his own serve, never mind tackling that of Djokovic.
More agony occurred for Nishikori after an unfortunate turn of events occurred midway during the second. Nishikori’s movement rapidly declined following a lengthy exchange on the court. As he held serve to move to 3-4, the world No.6 called for a medical time-out. Speaking with the trainer, Nishikori said he jarred his right knee during a rally.
As Nishikori gingerly returned to the court, Djokovic masterfully maneuvered his way toward Miami title No.6. After squandering his first two championship points, it was third time lucky for the Serbian after a forehand shot from Nishikori landed beyond the baseline.
The win gives Djokovic his third consecutive title in Miami, sixth overall. He has become the first man in history to win back-to-back titles in Indian Wells and Miami, three years in a row. This year he cruised to the Miami title without dropping a set.
Despite producing 22 unforced errors compared to 14 winners, the world No.1 was too strong for the ailing Nishikori, who winner-error ratio was 10-29. Furthermore, Djokovic won 79% of his first serves and 60% of his second.
The win in Miami is Djokovic’s 62nd title on the ATP Tour. He has now overtaken Roger Federer in career prize money with his balance currently standing at $98.2m, edging him closer to becoming the first tennis player in history to earn over $100m in prize money.
