The ATP Finals moved from Shanghai to London in 2009, providing unimaginable pleasure in a bunch with Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Within the different, Rafael Nadal and the defending champion Novak Djokovic did not move the round-robin stage.
The world’s main gamers misplaced three out of 4 matches to Nikolay Davydenko and Robin Soderling, who moved into the semi-final as a substitute of them. Novak grabbed two victories, nevertheless it was not sufficient to advance, regardless of a 7-6, 6-3 overcome Nadal within the final round-robin conflict.
It was their twenty first assembly and the seventh triumph for the Serb, the third in a row that season after Cincinnati and Paris. Djokovic served at 51%, nevertheless it was onerous to note that. He misplaced serve twice and scored three breaks from 5 alternatives on the return.
Rafa couldn’t discover his strokes, hitting ten winners and over 30 unforced errors. Novak pressured extra errors from his opponent and hit twice as many winners to manage the tempo. Apparently, the Spaniard constructed an enormous benefit within the shortest vary as much as 4 strokes.
Nevertheless, he misplaced floor within the mid-range and most prolonged exchanges like not many occasions earlier than to go away the competitors with no win. Rafa’s first massive mistake got here within the opening sport when he netted a forehand to endure a break.
The Spaniard pulled it again within the subsequent one following Novak’s comparable error. Djokovic grabbed the second straight break at 1-1 when Nadal hit a double fault and saved a break level a couple of minutes later to convey the sport house and open a 3-1 hole.
Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in straight units on the 2009 ATP Finals.
Rafa held after two deuces in sport 5 with a service winner and hit a uncommon forehand winner at 2-4 to remain in contact. Djokovic misplaced the benefit within the eighth sport following a backhand mistake.
The defending champion discovered himself behind for the primary time after one other free backhand at 4-4. Serving to remain within the set in sport ten, Novak held at 30 to increase the set earlier than Rafa delivered a maintain at love for 6-5. The Serb additionally held at like to introduce a tie break and received an enormous alternate that pushed him 4-2 forward.
Rafa got here again to 5-6 earlier than spraying a forehand error that handed the set to Novak after a grueling 67 minutes. Nadal obtained a medical timeout on a decrease again after the second set’s third sport and netted a forehand within the subsequent one to offer serve away and discover himself 3-1 down.
Rafa survived one other difficult sport at 1-4 and opened a 30-0 lead at 3-5 when Novak served for the victory. Djokovic bounced again to earn two match factors, and Nadal saved them to increase the battle. The Spaniard created a break likelihood, and the Serb erased it with a forehand down the road winner. Novak sealed the deal on his third match level and celebrated his third straight overcome Rafa.
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