Andy Murray lifted his first career Masters title, defeating Novak Djokovic for the second time in as many weeks to claim a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) win at the Cincinnati event on Sunday.
The Scot, who rose to a career-best sixth in the world yesterday, had to work for the victory as Djokovic mounted a closing surge.
Murray eventually won in the second tiebreaker after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
PHOTO: AFP
He notched his second victory over the world No. 3 after losing his first four meetings until last week’s Toronto quarter-final success.
The Scot clocked the first British success at a Masters event since Tim Henman won Paris Bercy five years ago. Henman also lost the Cincinnati final eight years ago to Swede Thomas Enqvist.
Murray travels to the Beijing Olympics with a renewed conviction in his game.
PHOTO: AFP
“I’m taking a lot of confidence from this win, you expect to get that after winning your first big tournament,” said Murray, now with three trophies this season.
Djokovic saved four match points late in the second set as Murray served for victory leading a set and 5-3 after breaking the Serb.
But after his mis-fires, Murray found himself down a break point, which Djokovic converted after five deuces to climb to 4-5.
The Serb, who had beaten Rafael Nadal with a sterling performance the night before, was unable to come good against the determined Murray.
“It’s different when you play against an opponent who plays a similar game with you,” Djokovic said. “He was making me do a lot unforced errors. He was playing a lot of slice and changing pace to my forehand. I just lost the rhythm today. I had a great match last night, I played rocket tennis, but that was not possible against Andy today. We’ve known each other since we were 13 or 14. We used to watch these kind of matches on television and now we are playing them.”
Murray said that playing all week in the heat was crucial to his chances on a another sunny afternoon.
“It was really hot, but I’ve played all of my matches in these conditions,” said Murray, 35-12 this season. “But by the end we were both tired, it was really getting to us.”
Djokovic was unable to make an impression in the end after striking 46 unforced errors.
Murray was the third Briton to reach the final in Cincinnati after Henman and Mark Cox in 1977.
“I really struggled against him in the past,” Murray said of Djokovic. “I had to change something. I played a bit more aggressive and served a little bit smarter than I had in the past and obviously it worked. It’s huge to win your first sort of major tournament and to do it in a match like today makes it more special.”
■ROGERS CUP
AFP, MONTREAL
Russia’s Dinara Safina steamrolled Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1 to capture the WTA Rogers Cup for her third title in her last six events on Sunday.
Safina, who is enjoying one of the most productive runs of her career, needed just 1 hour, 8 minutes to beat unseeded Cibulkova at the Uniprix Stadium court. The 22-year-old Safina also won last week in the Williams sisters’ backyard of Carson in south central Los Angeles. This was her fifth championship match in six events.
“It’s the first time in my life I have won tournaments back-to-back,” Safina said. “Usually I would win a tournament and the next week I would lose in the first round.”
Safina blasted eight aces, while teenager Cibulkova had just one and committed six double faults.
“I was happy when I won the first match and then I was just taking it one match at a time,” Safina said.
Safina came out with plenty of spark, breaking Cibulkova at the first opportunity to seize a 3-0 lead. She also roared to a 4-0 in the final set. She has 28 wins and just three losses in the past three months. During that stretch she defeated nine players ranked in the top 10.
It was the eighth career title for Safina, who collected US$196,000 in first place prize money. She reached her first grand slam final at this year’s French Open, losing to world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic.
Cibulkova, who was in just her second career final, had been a giant-killer this week, upsetting world No. 2 Jelena Jankovic, sixth-ranked Elena Dementieva and No. 12 seed Nadia Petrova.
“I was pretty nervous in my first big final and I wished to play better,” Cibulkova said. “I’m kind of upset with how I played in the final. I wanted to have a good match against Dinara. But I think she played really well. I hope in my next final I will play better.”
■NORDIC LIGHT OPEN
AFP, STOCKHOLM
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki took her first ever WTA title on Sunday when she clobbered Russia’s Vera Dushevina in the final of the US$145,000 Nordic Light Open.
The 18-year-old Dane, seeded fourth, completely dominated the game, winning through 6-0, 6-2, after earlier ousting top seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the semi-final.
Wozniacki told Danish news agency Ritzau: “Winning in Stockholm is completely perfect. I feel at home and the spectators were rooting for me.”
Wozniacki reached her first ever international final when she earlier beat Radwanska 6-4, 6-1 in a semi-final delayed from Saturday because of rain.
In the other semi-final of the day, unseeded Dushevina easily beat Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik, seeded third, 6-1, 6-2. It was the second win in a week for Wozniacki over Dushevina after the Dane beat the Russian 6-0, 6-1 in last week’s quarter-final in Portoroz, Slovenia.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely