(photos courtesy of Miami Tennis News)
Novak Djokovic completed a three-peat at the Miami Open and won the event for the sixth time in his career by beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. Djokovic got off to a relatively slow start and donated serve twice in the first set but ended up rolling to the title in one hour and 26 minutes.
Nishikori broke right away at love for a quick 1-0 lead in the opener only to give it right back. The world No. 1 soon found himself trailing by a break before getting the best of the Djokovic serve again at 2-4. A somewhat bizarre opening set saw Nishikori win eight return points–all of which came in two love breaks. Djokovic held his other three service games at love.
The second frame of play was more straightforward, with the world No. 1 surrendering a mere four points on serve. Two breaks were more than enough for Djokovic, who coasted to the finish line as Nishikori began struggling with an apparent knee issue.
Final highlights:
“I thought he started very well breaking my serve in the first game and coming out with some big forehands and aggressive play,” the victor said. “I needed to answer right back, which I did in the following game…which helped me mentally to kind of continue the match in a right way. Because if you’re a break down, 2-0 down, things are a little bit different, obviously–especially against a player like Kei.
“It was best performance of the tournament (today). It came at the right time against a great, quality player.”
“I thought I wasn’t playing too bad,” Nishikori commented. “But (at the) same time, he played great tennis. So that’s why I couldn’t play what I wanted to play. Also my serve wasn’t going (well) today. So that was [a] shame to have that, because he had a great return. I felt a little pressure on my service game.”
In triumphing, Djokovic now owns sole possession of the all-time lead in Masters 1000 titles with 28. He also overtook Boris Becker for 11th place on the all-time ATP Open Era wins list with 714. Additionally, Djokovic surpassed Roger Federer for No. 1 in career prize money and pulled off the Indian Wells-Miami double for a record fourth time.
“Every year that I come back to Miami, I do go through those memories from back in 2007…the first Masters I won; (it) opened a lot of doors for me, gave me a lot of self-belief,” Djokovic concluded. “I started to realize that I’m able to win the big trophies and to beat the best players in the world. So of course this is a particular place for me to come back to, now winning it six times. Obviously I don’t take any win for granted, and especially in the big ones.”
Djokovic speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbzOFmfTWX4
when will he lose again?
French Open.
#HowManyTimes???
Yes! French Open!
After French open.
My guess is that his next defeat will come at Cincinnati.
third match at World Tour Finals round robin is my guess
Can’t believe I’m saying this… to me, Thiem/Goffin seem to have the best chance upsetting Novak in clay season.
Of course, Stan, Murray, Fed have the tools to beat Djoko. The problem is those matches will occur in semis or later, when Djoko plays his best tennis.
Goffin? No freaking way. He is a hard-court player.
Still, he’s definitely an above average clay court player right now
Goffin?
Thiem, yes–but probably not until 2017 or 18.
I agree with this. Thiem is not there yet.
Nole has far surpassed Rafa in career achievements. He is not my favorite player either before bias is claimed. There are several players I like better.
Weeks at #1
Rafa 141
Nole 193 and counting
141 in Federer’s era is way more impressive than 193 in post-Federer era
That’s a good point!
Says the Federer fan. I think that was a weak era.
5th Major Indian Wells
Rafa 3
Nole 5
6th Major Miami
Rafa 0
Nole 6
7th Major WTF
Rafa 0
Nole 5
haha
Indian Wells/Miami double
Rafa 0
Nole 4
irrelevant
Aussie Open
Rafa 1
Nole 6
Wimbledon
Rafa 2
Nole 3
French Open
Rafa 9
Nole 0
Only thing in Rafa’s favour
US Open
Rafa 2
Nole 2
Filtered out Rafa’s 14-11 slam advantage, Olympic gold and 4-1 Davis Cup. Rafa has multiple slams on each of grass, hard court and clay with two channel slams.
Filter by definition cherry picks facts without a clue.
Rafa is still the goat.
Call me after the French open.
^good stuff
I agree, even as a massive Djokovic fan. Until Djokovic wins the French and at least equals Nadal in terms of slam count, Rafa is ahead. Not saying Nole won’t get there though, I think it is a matter of time.
14-11 is way too big of a gap to make up unless your other accomplishments are WAY better. And Djokovic’s other accomplishments are not even close to WAY better than Rafa’s.
Just curious…
Have you ever considered the difference crowd support can give in tennis?
In all pro sports, there’s evidence that suggests entire teams struggle without crowd support. I assume an individual should be affected even more so.
There hasn’t been a single match (other than DC) against the top 5 where Novak was the crowd favorite or have even crowd support.
I know it’s impossible to quantify this factor, but in no way should it be dismissed.
I’ve considered it–a lot. Not really a factor (in fact, not at all) outside of Davis Cup.
It’s basically like in hockey. Fans cannot impact the game. And tennis to an even less extent since you can’t make noise during points. So…it can be dismissed.
Even in hockey, the home team has a much better home record.
I believe fans’ cheers in between points do make an impact.
i should add that you are not necessarily wrong for bringing up the subject. It’s a fair point. I simply choose to disagree.
that’s because of the comfortability/normalcy of being at home, in your own locker room, sleeping in your own bed, not having to travel, the other team having to travel, etc. Fans have nothing to do with it.
In tennis, everyone is away from home.
Yes, comfortability/normalcy makes sense as well.
I just find it difficult how anyone won’t be affected in matches like last years US/Wimby for example.
Nice to hear your opinions 🙂
Rafa has nine Grand Slams at a place where is pretty much disliked. He has five COMBINED at the the three slams where he is loved.
I think Rafa is a special case. On clay, he’s so much more superior than the rest of the field, that factors like this has little effect.
Ricky (AT 3:19 AM),
Actually, it’s has been wishful thinking of people worshiping Fed that Rafa is disliked at RG. They have constantly been constructing imaginary stories with the purpose of belittling Rafa and putting Fed on a pedestal.
To add to my comment AT 8:54 AM, the weirdest imaginary story constructed by someone is that somebody booed Rafa somewhere FAR away from the court where Rafa played (in 2011). LOL
Agree with Ricky.
14 slams> 11 slams
Career slam > no career slam
Djoko’s ad over Rafa – weeks at no.1; 5 WTF > 0 WTF. Djoko barely edged Rafa in Masters total – 28 vs 27; H2H 25 vs 23.
Their careers are not finished yet so Rafa may still improve his stats, Djoko too.
hawkeye,
Bless you for stating those facts! 🙂
@ hawks 1:16 AM,
the best point you made in a while! 🙂
Olympics are only played once every 4 years. Rafa just happened to be at his peak when he played. DC is a team competition so irrelevant. GS winners Ferrero and Moya helped,Verdasco won one,Ferrer and Lopez also played major roles.
Djoko had his chances at 2012 Olympics but failed. Djoko was also at his peak in 2012.
Grass might not be Djoko’s fave surface but HC at 2008 Olympics was also not Rafa’s fave surface either.
Djokovic was at his peak in 2012 and he couldn’t get it done. Didn’t even win a medal!
Filter likes to filter reality and only passes revisionism.
“irrelevant” from the guy that talks about a 5th, 6th and 7th slam.
Cherry picking is irrelevant.
I feel rafa can sneak one in at monte carlo?
if Djokovic WDs?
I am grateful that Ricky debunked this idea about crowd support! Was that supposed to be a joke? With what Rafa has had to put up with over the years at RG?
Not a factor at all!
My favorite response from Ricky was @ 2:33 am! Well said!
I hope Rafa does well and wins some clay Masters and the FO this season. After seeing how the first quarter goes by, I really think that only a top form Rafa has a chance to stop Djoko, on clay and at the second half US HC swing. Fed could only do it in BO3 quick HCs. The others, they’re either inexperienced, unfit or simply not even at Djoko’s B level.
Djoko is better than anyone else on slow HCs from AO to Miami, on China soil and indoor HCs. Rafa’s chances of beating Djoko is still on clay and perhaps at Canada and NewYork. Stan, well, I really dont know what to expect from him this year at the slams, after seeing his disappointing performance at the AO.
Are not Indian Wells and Miami the 2 biggest tournaments outside of the GS? Nole leads 11-3. That more than makes up for the GS deficit of 3.
Rafa has 9 MC vs Djoko’s 2; 3 Madrid vs Djoko’s 1 and 7 Rome vs Djoko’s 4. Rafa has had clean sweep of European clay season in 2005, 2006, 2010. Rafa also has his clean sweep of Canada/Cincy/USO in 2013 despite HC not being his fave surface.
How come those are not counted but only IW/Miami counts??
Lucky,
Great point!
“How come those are not counted but only IW/Miami counts??”
They’ve been selectively “filtered” out.
Two biggest in that they have a larger draw with one extra round comprised of much lower ranked players. Doesn’t mean they are harder to win.
Ricky nailed it, the differences other than slams does not make up for Rafa’s extra three, especially considering Rafa’s Gold, 4X DC titles (try telling Nole that DC “doesn’t count”, two channel slams and MULTIPLE slam wins on each of grass, clay and HC.
Nole’s inability to win the French is infinitely worse than Rafa’s lack of WTF – a glorified promotional exho where you can lose not one, but two matches and still win the tournament – a tournament where they have trouble filling the alternate spots due to lack of interest in playing unless it’s mandatory. Nonstarter.
Get a grip man.
No point reasoning with someone who cherry picks one side.
Hawkeye,
I wanted to jump in here be stand up for rafa’s record, but you have just about covered it. Thanks for making the case so well.
One thing that I cannot abide, is anyone trying to in some way demean or revise the stellar achievements of rafa’s career.
Whatever happens with Rafa, no one can take away what he has done!
So you’re saying that extra rounds with lower ranked players don’t make them harder to win? But wait GS have 7 rounds with really low ranked players. So are you saying GS are not harder to win because they have more rounds and lower ranked players? So you must think a lot of WTF where everybody is highly ranked. Yes and even though Rafa could lose in RR he still hasn’t been able to win one. Even though it’s held every year. Interesting.
No not extra rounds. ONE. Against much lower ranked players.
No slams are more difficult because they are best of five.
Many players turn down wtf when invited as spares. More players stay as alternates for masters 1000. That’s how seriously wtf is taken.
Fail better and please come again.
No, just no.
I know some here don’t think much of WTF but it’s all top players and it is 5-0 for Nole so combined with IW/Miami that’s 16-3. Total domination.
You pick and choose those that favors Djoko.
Come on Djoko’s fave surface is HCs, why not compare them on clay?
Djoko 34 major titles on HC (Slams, Masters, WTF) vs Rafa’s 11. Rafa 28 major titles on clay (8 MC, 3 Madrid, 7 Rome, 1 Hamburg, 9 FOs) vs Djoko’s 7.
Rafa > Djoko on clay; Djoko > Rafa on HC but Rafa more dominant on clay than Djoko on HCs.
Lucky,
Thanks for making the comparison. There’s nothing like facts to prove a point!
filter,
As I previously responded to another of your revisionist claims, I say again – NO! Just No!