26. 02. 2010. ·
Defending champion Novak Djokovic fought back once again from a set down to defeat Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 in 2 hours and 55 minutes.
From 2-2 in the opening set, we saw four successive breaks of serve. Nole was twice up a break, but Baghdatis fought back. The set went to a tiebreaker, the Cypriot won it 7-2 in 72 minutes.
Djokovic faced three break points in the first game of the second set, but saved them all. He was 0-40 down in the third game, fought to deuce, but Baghdatis earned one more break point and converted it for 2-1 lead. Novak broke back immediately to level the score. The defending champion was 0-30 behind on serve again and then double faulted to hand three new break points to Baghdatis. He got out of the trouble with fantastic services and brave display. Nole put the pressure on the Cypriot, managed to break his serve in the eighth game and served out the set 6-3.
Top-seeded Djokovic broke his opponent’s serve in the third game of the decisive final set and then held to increase his lead to 3-1. The 22-year-old Serb closed the set and match 6-4.
“It was an incredible struggle again,” said Novak. “Playing almost three hours against somebody that keeps the ball in the court in the rally for a long time, it was very close. Every game was on the edge, I think. My serve wasn’t on the level that I wanted it to be. A lot of double faults, a lot of break points saved or lost. So that is something that I really don’t want to have anymore.”
“I’m tired definitely,” admitted Djokovic after the match. “It’s been a long week for me, but final is final and I have faced this kind of feeling and situation before in my life. I will rest as much as I can and get ready.”
Novak has reached the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships final for the second year in a row and will now attempt to defend his ATP World Tour title for the first time in his career. He faces no.7 seed Russian Mikhail Youzhny who beat Austrian Jurgen Melzer in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(4).
Djokovic and Youzhny have met six times, their head-to-heads is 3-3.
The final match is scheduled on Saturday at 4:00pm CET.
