ROME TENNIS OPEN 2016 – NOVAK DJOKOVIC SURVIVES AFTER THREE HOURS AGAINST KEI NISHIKORI, FACES ANDY MURRAY IN FINAL

Written by: Staff on 14th May 2016

ROME TENNIS OPEN 2016 - NOVAK DJOKOVIC SURVIVES AFTER THREE HOURS AGAINST KEI NISHIKORI, FACES ANDY MURRAY IN FINAL

epa05304151 Serbian Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Spanish Rafael Nadal during their quarter final match for the Italian Open Tennis Tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 13 May 2016. EPA/CLAUDIO ONORATI |

By Ricky Dimon

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will be facing each other for the 33rd time in their careers and for the second time in two weeks when they battle for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title on Sunday afternoon.

Djokovic is leading the head-to-head series 23-9, including a dominant 12-1 in their last 13 meetings. The world No. 1 won eight in a row at Murray’s expense, lost to the Scot in last year’s Montreal final, and has now picked up four more wins in succession. The familiar foes most recently squared off in the Madrid title match last Sunday, when Djokovic prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

If nothing else, Murray does have the advantage of having enjoyed an earlier and much easier semifinal match. Going up against Lucas Pouille in the afternoon, the world No. 3 crushed the lucky loser 6-2, 6-1 in 59 minutes. He preceded that win by beating Mikhail Kukushkin, Jeremy Chardy, and David Goffin in straight sets. Murray is a solid 21-5 for the season, but he is still in search of his first title.

Britain’s Andy Murray returns the ball to France’s Lucas Pouille during their semi final match of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 14 May 2016. EPA/CLAUDIO ONORATI

Djokovic has wobbled from just about start to finish in Rome, but he has somehow found a way to maintain momentum after lifting the Madrid trophy. This week’s top seed scraped past qualifier Stephane Robert 7-5, 7-5, bounced back from a bagel at the hands of Thomaz Bellucci to survive 0-6, 6-2, 6-3, held off Rafael Nadal 7-5, 7-6(4), and rebounded from another set deficit to outlast Kei Nishikori 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the semis. Djokovic is 37-2 for his 2016 campaign with five titles (three of the Masters 1000 variety in addition to the Australian Open).

Djokovic’s thriller against Nishikori lasted three hours and one minute. He needed four match points (one prior to the tiebreaker and three in the ‘breaker) to advance.

“From the beginning, he was showing that he knew what his game plan is and he came out on the court with intent, hitting the ball along lines, cross-courts, both sides, being aggressive on the return,” the winner said of Nishikori. “It was a flawless first set. And then I knew that I’m going to have a little opening where I’m supposed to step in and try to use that, which I did.”

Djokovic is now one victory away from his fifth career title in Rome.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Serbian Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Japanese Kei Nishikori during their semi final match for the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 14 May 2016. EPA/CLAUDIO ONORATI

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Clay tennis, Internazionali BNL D'Italia, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Rome tennis, Sports