{"id":36291,"date":"2012-10-14T14:04:30","date_gmt":"2012-10-14T12:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/novakdjokovic.com\/?p=36291"},"modified":"2012-10-15T12:41:42","modified_gmt":"2012-10-15T10:41:42","slug":"nole-clinches-first-shanghai-masters-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novakdjokovic.com\/en\/news\/tennis\/nole-clinches-first-shanghai-masters-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Nole clinches first Shanghai Masters title!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nole produced a masterful display on Sunday to win his\u00a0first Shanghai Rolex Masters<\/a> title and\u00a033rd career trophy!<\/p>\n

World no.2 Novak Djokovic came back from a set down and saved five match points before defeating two-time defending champion, no.3 seed Andy Murray, 5-7, 7-6 (11), 6-3 in 3 hours and 21 minutes in a blockbuster final.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the opening set, featuring seven breaks of serve, Murray broke Novak for the fourth time in the 11th game for a 6-5 lead and closed it 7-5 in 74 minutes.<\/p>\n

Djokovic had two break points in the second game of the second set, but the Scot held and capitalised on his opportunities in the seventh game to go up 4-3. He consolidated the break to increase his lead to 5-3. The Olympic champion was serving for the match at 5-4, he was leading 30\/0, had the championship point, but Novak hit some amazing shots and broke back to level at 5-all. The Serbian star saved four more match points in an incredible tie-break and converted his fourth set point to win it 13-11.<\/p>\n

Nole looked confident in the deciding third set. He broke Murray in the seventh and ninth games to seal a memorable victory.<\/p>\n

“It’s difficult to judge who was better because it was so close throughout the whole match,”<\/strong> said Novak. “We had so many rallies in three and a half hours; for a best-of-three set match it is a very long time. Could have easily gone the other way. He was five match points up. When I faced those match points, I tried to focus on each individually. He was so close to the victory that I cannot say I was the better player.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Match statistics<\/span>: aces (3-4), double faults (4-3), winners (32-30), unforced errors (38-48), total points won (119-113).<\/p>\n

The 25-year-old Belgrade native has compiled a perfect 10-0 record since US Open final, winning back-to-back titles at the China Open in Beijing and now in Shanghai.<\/p>\n

Victory marked Nole\u2019s 70th match win in 2012. By\u00a0clinching his 13th career Masters trophy, he became\u00a0the first player to win seven of nine current Masters 1000 events – Federer and Nadal have won six.<\/p>\n

Visit our Shanghai 2012<\/a> photo gallery.<\/p>\n

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Novak will next play at the BNP Paribas Masters<\/a>, the last ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the season, taking place from October 29 to November 4 in Paris.<\/p>\n

“I’m trying to focus now on the end of the season,”<\/strong> Djokovic said about challenges ahead. “I need to play well indoors. I need to try to stay consistent with my results and eventually get a shot at No. 1 of the world. It’s my biggest objective in this moment. It’s something I’m aiming for. Obviously this is going to be a huge confidence boost and is going to help me in the race for No. 1.”<\/strong><\/p>\n