NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO MEET ROGER FEDERER IN DUBAI FINAL

Written by: Staff on 27th February 2015

NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO MEET ROGER FEDERER IN DUBAI FINAL

epa04640392 Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic during their semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will play No. 2-ranked Roger Federer for the 37th time on Saturday in a blockbuster final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Federer has a 19-17 lead in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series and has won two of their past three meetings. Federer will attempt to claim his seventh Dubai crown and Djokovic will aim to lift his 50th trophy, and his fourth at the Aviation Club.

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates a point against Borna Coric of Croatia during their semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

In his eighth straight Dubai semi-final, Djokovic knocked out fourth seed Tomas Berdych 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 in just over two hours on Friday night. He is now 34-4 lifetime at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament.

Djokovic required just 23 minutes to win a perfect set, constantly putting Berdych on the back foot in baseline rallies. Djokovic hit 12 winners and lost just eight points.

Berdych won his first game, on serve to 15, at the start of the second set. But then got broken in the third game, only to regain his composure to take a 3-2 lead. Djokovic was being rushed. Berdych went on to take a 5-3 lead, but was broken to 30.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic during their semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

By cutting down on his unforced errors, Berdych hung in and capitalised in the 12th game – on his second set point opportunity – to clinch the second set.

At 2-2 in the decider, Djokovic made his move. Staying close to the baseline, he slid into successive groundstroke winners to set up three break point chances. Berdych faltered in a long rally, striking a backhand long. Although the Czech kept pressing, Djokovic was not to be denied.

Djokovic also beat Berdych in the 2011 semi-finals and 2013 final.

( Courtesy of ATP and Original Link - http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/02/8/Dubai-Friday-Djokovic-Berdych.aspx )

Topics: Atp World Tour, Borna Coric, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai final, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Tennis, Tomas Berdych

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10sBalls_com says:

February 27, 2015 at 11:01 am

-@DjokerNole TO MEET @rogerfederer IN @DDFTennis FINAL- http://t.co/nUEWfKdJk7 #tennis #Dubai #ATP #Federer #Djokovic #ATPDubai #DDFTennis
_tenista001 says:

February 27, 2015 at 12:14 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO MEET ROGER FEDERER IN DUBAI FINAL http://t.co/wHbOMgVuzM #tennis
augustovska says:

February 27, 2015 at 1:02 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO MEET ROGER FEDERER IN DUBAI FINAL http://t.co/wHbOMgVuzM #tennis