Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will meet for the 47th time and play their 24th final against each other after both won their Qatar Open semi-finals.
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Nevertheless, the 14-time Grand Slam champion wouldn’t predict when he’d win another Grand Slam title.
A second milestone Djokovic achieved by winning the title match was winning his sixtieth title, tying fellow counterpunching great Andre Agassi at ninth in the all-time list. He has now won their last five encounters, including all four of the 2015 meetings, without dropping a set.
“This is exactly how I want to start the year, getting to the final in the first tournament of the year, against one of my biggest rivals”.
Banging an ace to close an immaculate set of shot-making, Djokovic delivered 16 winners against just four unforced errors blitzing through the opener in 31 minutes.
Djokovic’s progress was more serene, though not without its scares, as he beat Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer, 6-3, 7-5.
The Serb was forced to save break point after Nadal had produced a series of sumptuous forehands that were unsettling the Serb, but Djokovic, whose exertions in Qatar this week have been characterised by laborious starts, held firm to to take the first game.
‘To some extent it’s surprising for sure, ‘ the 34-year-old Swiss star said of the manner Djokovic won.
Djokovic won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open previous year and narrowly missed out on a calendar Grand Slam when losing to Stanislas Wawrinka in the French event at Roland Garros.
Nadal went down to the ATP rankings leader in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 during the final of the Qatar Open on Sunday (AEDT).
“But it’s lovely. It’s a new chapter of my life, and I enjoy it. I was actually saying already in the last 12 months or so how that has positively reflected on my tennis and my mindset, and actually finding the meaning and the objective to whatever I’m doing”.
In doing so, the Swiss also became the first player in the Open Era to reach hard-court finals in 17 consecutive seasons. “But my thoughts are only directed to Melbourne and what I need to do there”.
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With Williams’ perch secure, questions begin right behind her. Maria Sharapova, who lost to Williams in last year’s Australian Open final, played sparingly down the stretch last season with leg and forearm problems. Again the momentum swung and this time Djokovic would not let it go. I’ve trained hard and tried to get here as early as possible to prepare as best I can. “These kind of matches and performances give me a great deal of satisfaction”.
