SERBIAN TENNIS STAR NOVAK DJOKOVIC AVENGES WORLD TOUR FINALS LOSS TO SIR ANDY MURRAY

Written by: Staff on 7th January 2017

SERBIAN TENNIS STAR NOVAK DJOKOVIC AVENGES WORLD TOUR FINALS LOSS TO SIR ANDY MURRAY

epa05703894 Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates with his trophy after winning against Andy Murray of Britain during their final match of the Qatar ATP Open Tennis tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex Doha, Qatar, 07 January 2017. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL |

Djokovic avenges World Tour Finals loss to Murray, triumphs at Qatar ExxonMobil Open

By Ricky Dimon

Novak Djokovic failed to take back the No. 1 world ranking from Andy Murray at last season’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Djokovic at least managed to end Murray’s 28-match winning streak on Sunday evening in Doha. The Serb lifted the Qatar ExxonMobil Open trophy after defeating Murray 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a dramatic title match that lasted two hours and 54 minutes.

One day after the No. 2 seed survived five match points–including a quadruple match point situation–in a semifinal win over Fernando Verdasco, it was his turn to squander a second-set lead. Djokovic could not convert any of three match points when they would have given him a relatively routine 6-3, 6-4 triumph. Instead, Murray clawed back from the brink of defeat and broke his opponent twice in a row to force a third set.

But one break in the decider was enough for Djokovic, who struck at 3-3 and held his last two service games without much trouble to get across the finish line.

“Best scenario I could ask for at the beginning of the season,” Djokovic commented, “playing all five matches in this tournament and then three hours against No. 1 of the world, biggest rival, and winning in a thrilling marathon match. It was a really, really thrilling performance from both of us. Just a great way to start the year.”

It certainly could not have come against a tougher opponent. Murray became the top-ranked man for the first time in his career at last fall’s Paris Masters and he maintained it by ending Djokovic’s four-year reign at the O2 Arena in a winner-take-all championship match. The Scot had won eight of his last 10 tournaments heading into this season.

Andy Murray of Great Britain serves the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their final match of ATP Qatar Open tennis tournament at the Khalifa Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, 07 January 2017. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL

But he did not have quite enough in this one to beat the defending Doha champion.

“It’s a tough one to lose; obviously (I’m) disappointed not to win tonight, but I played pretty good the last couple of matches,” Murray remarked. “I think physically it was a good test to start the year. “It was high level tennis–some of the points were physically tough. But it’s a great way to star the new year and I look forward to the next few weeks.”