On this day: Roger Federer ousts Novak Djokovic to reign in Cincinnati
Just a month after their Wimbledon final in 2012, the most prominent players on the ATP Tour Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic met in the final of Cincinnati as well, three years after the previous one that Roger won 6-1, 7-5. In what was a similar outcome, the Swiss notched a 6-0, 7-6 victory in an hour and 20 minutes on August 19 for the fifth Cincinnati crown, completing an incredible week with the 16th win over Novak in 28 encounters they played in the last six years. The opening set offered the only bagel we saw in the clashes between these two before Djokovic raised his level in set number two, missing a set point at 7-6 in the tie break and finishing runner-up for the fourth time in the last five years in Ohio! Federer was forced to play a tie break in the previous three matches against Mardy Fish, Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic but the scoreboard was on his racquet almost all the time, facing just three break points in five encounters and never losing serve!
Novak managed to win only 14 points on the return in the title match, creating no break chances and losing 40% of the points in his games to suffer three breaks from four break opportunities given to Roger. The Swiss had the edge in the shortest points and also in the most extended rallies where Novak should have had the advantage, outplaying his rival completely in the opening set and staying on a high level in the second as well to claim the title. Djokovic couldn't find his usual range, hitting 12 winners and 23 unforced errors while Federer blasted 28 winners and 18 errors, dominating with his initial shot and forehand and keeping the backhand safe enough to stay on the court for just 80 minutes. Novak sprayed a forehand error to get broken in the very first game of the match, never a good sign in significant clashes, and Roger confirmed the break with a forehand down the line winner in game two to open up a 2-0 lead.
Djokovic hit a double fault to get broken again and was 4-0 down after only 11 minutes following four service winners from Federer in game four! Things went from bad to worse for the Serb who hit another double fault to offer a break chance in game five, with Roger forcing a forehand error to move 5-0 ahead, landing a powerful forehand down the line a few minutes later to clinch the opening set in just 20 minutes for the most one-sided one ever in the duels between these two. Novak had to change things on the court and to do it rather quickly if he wanted to avoid a complete disaster, including much better performance on his second serve that Federer had pushed to the limits in the opener. The Serb got his name on the scoreboard in the first game of the second set when Roger sent a forehand wide and went 2-1 in front after forcing an error from Federer, hitting in much better rhythm than in the opener.
Still, the Swiss was rock-solid behind the initial shot, firing an ace to level the score at 2-2 before another comfortable hold from Djokovic who now had the edge from the baseline, something which wasn't the case in the first part of the match. A fantastic half volley winner delivered another hold for Roger in the sixth game and Novak had the answer ready, moving 4-3 in front with a service winner. At that point, Federer hit 39% of the shots from inside the baseline while Djokovic managed to take only 19% of the strokes from inside the court, unable to impose his game and take power off from his rival's racquet. A service winner secured another comfortable hold for Roger in the eighth game and they both served well in the next couple of games for a 5-5, getting closer to a tie break.
A backhand down the line winner gave Novak another advantage in the 11th game and Roger followed that pace with another unreturned serve, setting up a tie break where he took the opening point on the return with a smash winner, playing almost without errors at the net so far. Novak made two forehand mistakes in the following points to find himself 3-0 down, with no room for further flaws in the rest of the breaker if he wanted to stay in the title chase. The Serb won the next two points on serve to start his comeback and pulled the mini-break back with a deep return in the sixth point that forced an error from Roger.
Out of sudden, Novak had the upper hand on the court, moving 4-3 ahead with a forehand winner but spoiling everything in the next point when his forehand landed long. Two service winners propelled Roger 6-5 in front before Novak saved a match point with another good forehand, earning a set point of his own after one of the longest points of the match. Focused and composed, Roger saved it with a smash winner, hitting another one from his forehand for the second match point and sealing the deal with yet another direct point from his right wing for a 9-7 and the fifth crown in Ohio.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/31GIF3s
No comments