Tennis News

No player has enjoyed a more dominant start at an ATP World Tour event than Novak Djokovic at the China Open, and the World No. 1 extended his ruthless run with a sixth title on Sunday. Djokovic’s winning streak in Beijing reached 29 straight wins as he turned aside rival Rafael Nadal for the second time in three years in the final. He triumphed 6-2, 6-2 in 91 minutes.

“The scoreline, especially in the first set, doesn’t indicate the real battle that we had on the court,” said Djokovic. “I’m aware of the fact that very few points can decide a winner of the matches I play against the biggest rivals, and Rafa is definitely one of them. He’s the kind of player that is a champion and understands the kind of challenge that a big match presents. He knows how to play on the big stage for the titles. He has won so many.

“That’s why I didn’t want to give him an opportunity to come back to the match and eventually start playing better to dominate the rallies… This positive week definitely encourages me and gives me a lot of confidence for Shanghai.”

The Serb has won seven of eight FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters against the Spaniard, including the 2013 Beijing final. He also edged closer to Nadal in their overall series, now trailing 22-23. Djokovic brings home 500 Emirates ATP Rankings points and $654,725, in capturing his 56th tour-level trophy. He is 68-5 in 2015, including a stunning 23-4 mark against Top 10 opponents.

Watch this! Stunning tennis from both #Djokovic and #Nadal inc. a tweener! Crowd go crazy! #tennis #ChinaOpen http://t.co/wRZIkZFnDq

— TennisTV (@TennisTV) October 11, 2015

Nadal got off to a slow start under the lights at the National Tennis Center in the Chinese capital and Djokovic would pounce immediately. The top seed converted on his first break point in the opening game and consolidated for a quick 2-0 advantage. A more aggressive Nadal would settle in as the first set progressed, with the pair trading baseline blows. The Spaniard had his chance to break back in the sixth game, but let two break points slip away. Djokovic’s trademark defensive tenacity was on full display as he pressed for a second break. In one sensational point, Nadal tracked down a drop shot and scampered back to the baseline to as the Serb sent a lob over his head. The Spaniard replied with a tweener which Djokovic turned aside into the open court. He would claim the break three points later for 5-2 and closed out the set in 41 minutes.

Hampered by an apparent leg ailment, Nadal would call for the trainer midway through the third game of the second set. Smelling blood and sensing the finish line was not far off, Djokovic broke immediately for 2-1. He would race to a double break lead two games later and did not look back, surging to the title. The World No. 1 struck 23 winners, including seven aces.

Nadal fell to 67-30 in tour-level finals, taking home $295,180 and 300 points in the Emirates ATP Race To London. The Spaniard has bumped Kei Nishikori for the sixth position among the eight players bidding to reach the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. He owns 3,970 points in total.

“I’m very happy the way that I played this week, especially because I was able to improve every single match,” said Nadal. “Especially in the quarter-finals after that first set against Sock, I changed that dynamic. I played closer to the baseline. Yesterday I played a good match and today I played a good match.” 

Both Djokovic and Nadal will next head south for the eighth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the year, in Shanghai. The Serb has already secured his place at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, while Nadal continues his quest for a berth in the season finale.

Stan Wawrinka captured his fourth title in a career-best season Sunday at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships. He became the first Swiss winner in Tokyo since Roger Federer in 2006 (d. Henman).

Wawrinka dominated his 20th tour-level final appearance, outclassing his good friend Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-4 over 65 minutes at the Ariake Colosseum, the tennis venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. By recording his fifth win over Paire, Wawrinka is now 11-9 lifetime in title matches.

“I feel great, it’s been a really good week for me to win a title again, something always special,” said Wawrinka. “You don’t win a title every week. It’s always difficult when I play a good friend like Benoit. I knew before the match he was struggling a bit physically, but I saw the doctor who told me Benoit was ready to play. I played my best game today. I felt the ball well and was aggressive. I am very happy to have the trophy tonight.”

The 30-year-old Wawrinka received a cheque for $306,200 and earned 500 Emirates ATP Rankings points. He has already qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals to be held at The O2 in London from 15-22 November. Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Wawrinka have clinched their spots, with four berths left up for grabs over the next four weeks of the regular ATP World Tour season.

Under a closed roof, due to inclement weather, Wawrinka soon gained control of the pair’s sixth meeting. In moving Paire around the court, he created space, and, despite being broken in a 10-point fifth game, Wawrinka was able to clinch three of Paire’s service games in the 26-minute opener. Paire, who had strapping on his left ankle, won eight of Wawrinka’s service points and committed 12 unforced errors.

Wawrinka withstood two break points in the third game of the second set, including, at one point, drawing a smile from Paire, for a hard-hit backhand down the line that the World No. 32 did not anticipate when standing close to the net. The set looked to be heading for a tie-break, but with Paire serving at 5-4, Wawrinka applied pressure.

Paire, who was hoping to become the first Tokyo titlist from France since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2009, is now 1-3 in ATP World Tour finals. This week, following consecutive three-set victories over Grigor Dimitrov, Marcos Baghdatis, Nick Kyrgios and two-time champion Kei Nishikori, he earned $138,000 and 300 Emirates ATP Rankings point.

“It was not easy, when I woke up this morning I could not walk,” said Paire. “I was not sure if I could play today. One hour before the match it was very painful, so I asked: ‘What can we do?’ I spoke with the doctor and physiotherapist and we made something for my foot. I couldn’t feel anything in my foot, but I tried to do all I could to play the match and win. It’s harsh, but I could not defend on points. Stan played a very good match and congratulations to him. It’s back luck for me.”

FINAL PREVIEW: For the second time in three years, top seed Novak Djokovic and No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal meet in the China Open final. Two years ago, Djokovic won 6-3, 6-4, and since then he has won six of the last seven meetings against the Spaniard. This will be the 45th meeting, which is the most match-ups in the Open Era. Nadal leads 23-21, but Djokovic owns a 14-7 advantage on hard courts. This is their first hard court meeting since last year’s Miami Open, which Djokovic won 6-3, 6-3. The 28-year-old Serb comes into the final with a 28-match and 25-set China Open winning streaks. He is trying to win his sixth China Open title in as many finals and he is looking to remain unbeaten in ATP World Tour finals in China (8-0). This is Djokovic’s 12th straight final of the year (7-4 in finals). Nadal is looking for his fourth title of the season (3-1), the first on hard courts since Doha in January 2014, when he defeated Gael Monfils. Nadal is appearing in his third China Open final (1-1). He won the title in his debut in 2005 (d. Coria) and reached the final two years ago. Nadal will rise to No. 5 in the Emirates ATP Race to London with a win in the Beijing final.

FINALS HISTORY:    

Djokovic is appearing in his 82nd career ATP World Tour level final. He is 55-26 in finals (7-4 in 2015).
Nadal is appearing in his 97th career ATP World Tour level final. He is 67-29 in finals (3-1 in 2015).

THE FINAL: (Leads tournament in this category +)

RIVALRY FOR THE AGES:  This is the 45th meeting between Djokovic and Nadal, which is an Open Era record. Here is the breakdown:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   NOVAK DJOKOVIC

• World No. 1 has a 28-0 lifetime record in China Open matches and 56-3 in sets (25 straight). Has only lost 14 games going into final, fewest in his career with minimum four matches played. En route to final, has beaten No. 4 Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 in SF, No. 6 Isner 6-2, 6-2 in QF, qualifier Bolelli 6-1, 6-1 and wild card Zhang 6-2, 6-1
• Has held serve 29 of 31 games (94%), saving eight of 10 BPs (broken twice vs. Ferrer) and leads this week in
1st-serve percentage (69%) and return games won (19 of 31, 61%) while converting 19 of 28 BPs (68%)
• With win on Friday, passed Connors for 2nd-best start at any tournament in Open Era (see chart below)
• Clinched year-end No. 1 in Emirates ATP Rankings for 4th time in last 5 years (2011-12, ’14-15) and will pass McEnroe on Nov. 2 for 5th all-time with 171 total weeks at No. 1
• Won 8th, 9th and 10th Grand Slam singles titles at Australian Open (d. Murray), Wimbledon (d. Federer) and US Open (d. Federer) respectively. Fell short of calendar Grand Slam in Roland Garros final (l. to Wawrinka)
• Became 1 of 3 players to play in all 4 major finals in a single year during Open Era (also Laver and Federer)
• Making 12th straight final appearance after falling in Doha QF to start season (l. to Karlovic). Last player to reach 10 or more consecutive finals in a season was Federer (11 in ’06, 17 dating back to ’05)
• Has a 7-4 record in finals this season. Also captured titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and Rome, moving into a tie with Federer for 2nd all-time with 24 ATP Masters 1000 championships (Nadal 27)
• Appearing in 82nd  career final, 9th in China. Has a 55-26 career record in finals (8-0 in China)
• Has a 22-4 record vs. Top 10 opponents this year, beating every Top 10 opponent he’s faced (has not played No. 10 Simon) at least once (149-79 in career)
• Along with 2014 Paris title, won 30 straight matches at ATP Masters 1000 events before falling to Murray in Montreal final. Also lost to Federer in Cincinnati final

NOVAK DOMINATES CHINA: Djokovic comes into the final having won 32 of his last 33 matches in China, winning consecutive titles in Beijing and Shanghai in 2012-13 and Beijing last year. His 28-match winning streak in China ended last year when he lost to Federer in the semi-finals in Shanghai. Overall, he has won eight career titles in China (five in Beijing, three in Shanghai). He has never lost in the China Open (28-0) and is 19-3 at the Shanghai Rolex Masters (since 2009). He also went 4-4 at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai in 2007-08, winning title in ’08. The only country in which he’s won more titles is the U.S. (11). He has never lost in a final in China (8-0) 

RAFAEL NADAL

• No. 2 Spaniard is into 3rd China Open final after beating [WC] Wu 64 64, Pospisil 76(3) 64, Sock 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Fognini 7-5, 6-3. Playing a seeded opponent for 1st time in Djokovic
• Ranks No. 3 in 1st serve pct. (67%) and No. 8 in 2nd-serve points won (54%). Has held in 38 of 46 service games (83%), saving 10 of 18 brk, pts. (56%). Has won 14 of 45 return games (31%)
• Playing in 1st hard-court final since falling to Djokovic in 2014 ATP Masters 1000 Miami championship match (10 hard-court events ago). Trying to win his 1st hard court title since  2014 Doha (d. Monfils)
• Captured titles at Buenos Aires (d. Monaco), Stuttgart (d. Troicki) and Hamburg (d. Fognini), also reaching final at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (l. to Murray). Appearing in 97th
• Denied a 10th Roland Garros title by No. 1 Djokovic in QF, falling to 70-2 lifetime on Parisian clay
• Also reached Australian Open QF (l. to No. 7 Berdych), Wimbledon 2R (l. to No. 102 Brown) and US Open 3R (l. to Fognini after up 2-0 sets). Failed to win at least 1 Grand Slam title in a season for 1st time since 2004
• Yet to win an ATP Masters 1000 title in 2015 (1+ each year from 2005-2014)
• Has a 2-7 record vs. Top 10 opponents this year, losing last four (131-67 in career). His wins came over No. 7 Ferrer (Monte-Carlo) and No.7 Berdych  (Madrid). Last beat a No.1 in ’13 US Open final (Djokovic)

DOUBLES FINAL: Vasek Pospisil (CAN)/Jack Sock (USA) vs. [4] Daniel Nestor (CAN)/Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

• Unseeded Pospisil of Canada and Sock of the U.S. play No. 4 seeds Nestor of Canada and Roger-Vasselin of France in a first-time meeting.
• Pospisil and Sock are contesting their third ATP World Tour final (1-1) of the year and sixth of their career (3-2) since teaming up at Wimbledon last year. They are No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Team Rankings. They have an 18-8 match record this season, winning the title at ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells and reaching the final in Miami. Pospisil is 4-3 in career doubles finals while Sock is 4-4. Both are trying to win their first ATP World Tour title on Asian soil.
• They came into Beijing having lost four straight 1R matches before beating No. 3 seeds/Australian Open champions Bolelli/Fognini in 1R, Djokovic brothers in QF and reigning Wimbledon champs Rojer/Tecau in SF.
• Nestor and Roger-Vasselin are appearing in their third ATP World Tour final (1-1) in fourth tournament together (14-2 record) They first paired up in August in Montreal and reached the final (l. to Bryans). The following week they won the title in Cincinnati (d. Matkowski/Zimonjic). At the US Open they lost in the 3R.
• They came in No. 13 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Team Rankings. The 43-year-old Nestor has an 88-56 career record in finals (3-1 in ‘15) with titles at Sydney in January and Dubai in February (both w/Bopanna).
Roger-Vasselin has an 11-3 career record in doubles finals and in July won in Bogota (w/Stepanek). He also won last month in Metz (w/Kubot). His biggest career title came last year at Roland Garros  (w/Benneteau).