Novak Djokovic won his first title of the season on Saturday, beating David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The third-ranked Djokovic finished off Ferrer with an ace that was originally called out but challenged by the Serb.
“That was an unusual way to finish the match and something like this has never happened to me before,” Djokovic said. “But what worked for me during the match was that I mixed the pace well, which I think, David does not like at all.”
PHOTO : AFP
Djokovic was playing in his first final this year. He won the Australian Open last year and added the Masters Cup title at the end of last season. At this year’s Australian Open, he retired against Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.
The top-seeded Djokovic broke Ferrer in the sixth game of the first set, but the fourth-seeded Spaniard broke back to 4-3. The players traded breaks again, but Djokovic got the decisive break in the final game of the set.
“This was a tough match because David is a very tough opponent,” Djokovic said. “He is one of the hardest working players on the tour, and he just keeps running down every ball. He makes you earn every point.”
In the second set, Djokovic led 2-0 before Ferrer recovered with a break in the seventh game. But Djokovic immediately broke back to lead 5-3 and then saved a break point before winning on the challenged ace.
“Nobody is a favorite in a final,” Djokovic said. “Everyone has the motivation to do well. But I was physically and emotionally really involved with this tournament and to win it is a great feeling, because Dubai has a history of having one of the strongest fields on the tour. And despite some players pulling out, it was still a tough field.”
Both top-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Roger Federer pulled out with injuries. Andy Murray withdrew ahead of the quarter-finals because of a viral infection.
■DELRAY BEACH
AP, DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA
Mardy Fish of the US advanced to the final of the Delray Beach International with a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Jeremy Chardy of France on Saturday.
Fish, the top seed, was to try to become the first No. 1 seed in the 16-year history of this tournament to take the title when he faced Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev yesterday.
Korolev reached his first career final with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Christophe Rochus in the first semi-final.
Fish was facing a break point to go down 4-1 before taking control of the semi.
Fish was 2-10 in ATP Tour finals, including a loss at San Jose, California, last month.
“I played great the second set,” he said. “Even the game he won I had a game point.” Korolev was the second consecutive qualifier to secure a final berth at this tournament. Kei Nishikori of Japan won the championship but did not attempt to defend his title this year.
“I’m very happy I won,” Korolev said. “Every tournament you play you hope to win it. This is the first time I’m in the final.”
The 105th-ranked Korolev was the fourth qualifier to reach the Delray Beach final. Besides Nishikori, Alex Calatrava of Spain was a finalist in 2000 and Andrew Ilie of Australia won in 1998.
■MEXICAN OPEN
AFP, ACAPULCO, MEXICO
US top seed Venus Williams won her second title in as many weeks, dethroning defending champion Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-2 on Saturday in the women’s final of the WTA and ATP Acapulco Open.
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams won her 10th match in a row and her 20th in 21 starts, overpowering the Italian second seed for her 41st career title, which came a week after she won at Dubai.
Williams evened her career record against Pennetta at 3-3 after snapping a three-match losing streak to the 27-year-old European in last October’s Zurich final.
Nicolas Almagro, the fourth seed from Spain, won his second consecutive title by defeating French second seed Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4 in the ATP men’s final.
Almagro became the first back-to-back winner since the event moved from Mexico City in 2001.
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