Djokovic Advances To Third ATP World Tour Final Of Season
The 21-year-old Djokovic reached his first final at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, after retiring due to dizziness in the semi-finals last year to Roger Federer. He improved to 26-8 on the 2009 ATP World Tour season by advancing to his third ATP World Tour final of the year, where he will look to clinch his 13th career trophy.
Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic Rivarly Breakdown
Djokovic started the first semi-final of the day in positive fashion, but was unable to convert one break point in the second game and a further three break points two games later. Wawrinka dug deep at the start of the pair’s ninth meeting, riding his luck to 4-4 before Djokovic gifted him a double fault and a chance to serve for the first set at 5-4. Wawrinka confidently closed out the 56-minute opening set, when Djokovic struck a forehand into the net, in front of a capacity crowd on Court Central.
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters Photo Gallery
Since losing to Ernests Gulbis in the Brisbane first round in January, Djokovic has been a model of consistency reaching the quarter-finals or better at his next seven tournaments. So the Monte-Carlo resident was not going to surrender easily. The 21-year-old dropped just 15 points in a 6-1 second-set that lasted 35 minutes. Wawrinka won just seven points on serve and the tide looked to have turned going into a deciding set for a second time in their career series.
Roger Federer’s third-round conqueror had other ideas. Djokovic hit successive groundstroke errors in the second game to give Wawrinka a 2-0 lead, which could have been 3-0 had Wawrinka not hit a forehand stroke destined to hit the tramline narrowly wide on game point.
Djokovic responded by rattling off four successive games for a 4-2 lead and the chances of Wawrinka avenging last year’s ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome final defeat evaporated. Wawrinka fought back from 15-40 at 3-5, but Djokovic was not to be denied on his third match point pinning Wawrinka behind the baseline before executing a perfect forehand approach winner for victory in two hours and 28 minutes.
"I think I've done my adjustment to this surface quite fast and quite well in a very short period of the time, which is important of course, considering the fact that tennis season is that, you know, packed," said Djokovic.
"Week after week you have to basically change continents, time zones and surfaces. "I'm very happy with my final tomorrow. Hopefully I can continue with good results on this surface."
Djokovic is now joint-third with newly-wed American Andy Roddick (26-5) among 2009 ATP World Tour match wins leaders. Only Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have won more matches in the first four months of the year.
"[The difference] I think it was the third set," reflected Wawrinka. "When I break up, I had a chance to [get to] the 3-0, but I missed it. He was staying [at the top of his] game, and that's make the difference."
World No. 3 Djokovic will next meet four-time defending champion Nadal, who beat World No. 4 Murray in the final.
