Djokovic won 6-2, 3-6 and 6-3.
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“Both of us were pretty clinical on the break points up until the last game for me”.
Andy Murray faces Novak Djokovic in the defence of his title of the Mutua Madrid Open, after beating Rafael Nadal in the semi-final. “Some players are playing into their late 30’s now”, Murray said after the final.
It was Djokovic’s second title in Madrid, and fifth of the year this season.
Murray survived championship point on his own serve with some more big serving but he then missed a plethora of chances in Djokovic’s service game, having been 0-40 up, as the Serb continued his dominance with more success heading to Rome later this week. The break eventually followed in the sixth game, and suddenly, the Djoker was within two games of the title. I think I’m very consistent every week. “It’s an achievement that I’m very proud of”.
Djokovic, 28, has now won 33 of the past 35 sets against top 10 opponents – a stretch of 15 matches. “It makes a huge difference”, Murray said. Murray came up with big serves, including eight aces, when he needed them the most to keep Nadal from mounting a comeback. He lost to Djokovic in last year’s semifinals at Roland Garros. The Serb carved out a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory, by turns brilliant and battling, to triumph in two hours and six minutes and move one win ahead of Rafael Nadal as the player with the most Masters Series titles to his name.
It was a great match to be a part of.
“Andy has tremendously improved in the last couple of years on the clay courts, he has already proved that he’s definitely one of the best players in the world on this surface as well”, the Serbian told Sky Sports.
Djokovic and Murray – born within a week of each other in May, 1987 – first met in Madrid in a 2006 round of 16 when the event was played on hardcourt.
He beat Nadal in last year’s Madrid final. He defeated Nadal in the semifinals on Saturday.
Trying to pump himself up, Murray worked through a demanding deuce hold with a shout on serve at 2-1 in the second set. “I’m not going on the court sort of a little bit nervous or apprehensive”.
Despite the defeat, Sela remains on course to qualify for the Rio Olympics. “I didn’t think he played his best match in the final a year ago. See what happens the next few weeks”. He was also highly effective with his second serve, winning 80 percent of second service points as he hugged the baseline and made Murray do all of the running.
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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won a high quality dual with Britain’s Andy Murray this evening to secure a first Madrid Open singles title since 2011.
