By Ricky Dimon
Andy Murray ended an eight-match losing streak to Novak Djokovic and won the Rogers Cup on Sunday with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory that required exactly three hours to be completed.
“To win this one was nice, especially the way the match went,” Murray said. “I fought well and stayed calm in the important moments of the third set. It would have been easy for me to let that one slip away.”
Slip away is exactly what matches against Djokovic have done for Murray in the recent past. In fact, twice already this year they have played five-setters against each other (at the Australian Open and the French Open) and the scorelines went 6-0 and 6-1 in favor of the Serb.
Another Murray meltdown seemed to be coming midway through the deciding set at 3-1, but the Scot saved seven break points to survive a marathon game that lasted an incredible 18 minutes.
“Andy is deservedly a winner today on the court,” Djokovic assessed. “I thought what made the difference was his serve and my serve. I didn’t serve well the first set and a half. He deserved it. He stepped in, played some great shots. Most of all the moments when he needed to, he served very, very well.”
How well? Sixty percent of first serves in and eight aces to go along with five double-faults are common enough numbers, but Murray raised his level when it mattered most. For the match, the No. 2 seed fought off 11 of 14 break points–including nine of nine in the third set.
Djokovic suffered his first setback at a Masters 1000 event this entire season. The world No. 1 had previously triumphed in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Rome (he did not play Madrid).
Murray captured the 11th Masters 1000 title of his career and third at the Rogers Cup. He has now clinched a spot in the World Tour Finals and will become No. 2 in the world on Monday ahead of Roger Federer.
Rogers Cup rankings recap
* Murray passes Federer for No. 2 in the world with Rogers Cup title
* Nadal jumps Cilic at No. 8 despite quarterfinal loss to Nishikori
* Tsonga surges back into top 20 (18th) with quarterfinal showing
* Chardy soars 22 spots to No. 27 by reaching semifinals
* Sock moves into U.S. Open seed position at No. 30
* Gulbis climbs 19 places to 68th thanks to quarterfinal performance
* Young makes double-digit move into top 70 at No. 69
* Youzhny charges into top 100 (91st) with third-round finish
Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Montreal final, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Rogers Cup tennis, Sports, Tennis News
-@andy_murray HOLDS OFF @DjokerNole TO CAPTURE @rogerscup #tennis TITLE IN #Montreal CANADA- http://t.co/o1ZCyTO8Ev #RogersCup #ATPMontreal
RT @TennisNewsOne: ANDY MURRAY HOLDS OFF DJOKOVIC TO CAPTURE ROGERS CUP TENNIS TITLE IN MONTREAL CANADA http://t.co/K51KLgQdJ0 #tennis
RT @TennisNewsOne: ANDY MURRAY HOLDS OFF DJOKOVIC TO CAPTURE ROGERS CUP TENNIS TITLE IN MONTREAL CANADA http://t.co/K51KLgQdJ0 #tennis