DJOKOVIC DOWNS FEDERER - ROLAND GAROSS 2012

 Djokovic moved to within one victory of Grand Slam history Friday, crushing Roger Federer 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 to reach a first French Open final and a clash with six-time champion Rafael Nadal.

  World number one Djokovic, who already has the Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open titles in his possession, will become only the third man in history to hold all four Grand Slam trophies at the same time if he wins Sunday's final.

  Defeat for Federer, the 2009 champion who was undone by 46 unforced errors, left him waiting once again to add to his record 16 majors, the last of which came at the 2010 Australian Open.

  But Djokovic knows that Sunday's task will be even harder where Nadal, defeated only once in 52 matches at Roland Garros, is chasing his own piece of history as he tries to become the first man to win seven French Opens.

" I am happy to be in the final here, it's always difficult to play against Roger," said Djokovic, who had his 43-match winning streak ended by Federer at the same stage of Roland Garros 12 months ago.

" It's a dream to be in the final, but Rafa, who always plays so well here, will be the favourite. "

  Both Djokovic and Federer had looked far from convincing in reaching this stage.

  Nole came back from two sets to love down to beat Andreas Seppi in the fourth round before saving four match points against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a five-set quarter-final.

Federer had also been two sets to love down to Juan Martin del Potro in his five-set, last eight match before battling back.

In a tight opening set, Federer had the first break to lead 3-2 but couldn't capitalise when Djokovic hit straight back.

  The Serb then served two love games to lead 5-4 before the first set was his when Federer mis-hit a forehand which ballooned beyond the tramlines. 

  But the Swiss edged the early break in the second set in a game which featured a gruelling 36-shot rally won by Federer with a volley off a Djokovic 'between the legs' shot.

The world number three held to love and broke again for 3-0.

Djokovic then capitalised on a sloppy Federer service game to break back at 1-3 and held for 2-3 before the third seed steadied for a 4-2 advantage.

The Serb, who had confidently defeated Federer in the semi-finals on clay in Rome in straight sets just last month, was under siege again in his next service game, saving three break points.

In a topsy-turvy set, Djokovic broke for 4-4 but allowed Federer back in the driving seat to lead 5-4.

  But the 16-time Grand Slam title winner couldn't shake off the world number one who broke again in the 10th game, backed up by a hold for 6-5 and then claimed the set courtesy of a loose backhand and a wild forehand by the Swiss.

  Djokovic was in the ascendancy now, breaking for 4-2 in the third and taking the match when Federer buried a backhand return into the net.

  Defeat ended Federer's hopes making a 24th Grand Slam final.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official Web Site and channelnewsasia.com
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Djokovic downs Federer in Mubadala Tennis Championship!

                                         Nole downs Federer again!

                           

    Novak needed less than an hour to beat last year’s finalist Roger Federer in the semi-final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

   ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Top-ranked Djokovic swept aside Federer 6-2, 6-1 to reach the final of the World Tennis Championship exhibition Friday.

 
   Nole will face the winner of the all-Spanish clash between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer in the final of the six-man invitational tournament on Saturday.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite  and  PartidoaPartido. Thaks to all!
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Novak produces astonishing comeback for third shot at title in New York!

   Unbelievable comeback two years in a row! Truly outstanding performance!
 
    Novak fought back from two sets down and saved two match points to defeat no.3 seed and five-time US Open champion Roger Federer 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 for a place in his third US Open final!
   The top-seeded Serbian star will attempt to become the sixth man in the Open Era to win three major titles in the same year after he fought past the Swiss in 3 hours and 51 minutes on Saturday.
 
   As both players held their serve, the opening set went into a tie-breaker. Nole was 3-6 down, but managed to come back and level the result. The Serb saved one more set point, but Federer used his fifth chance and won it 9-7 in 55 minutes.
 
   Djokovic was broken in the third game of the second set. He fought back in the sixth game, but the Swiss broke him once again in the seventh, kept the advantage and took the set 6-4.
 
   Being two sets to love down, Novak knew he needed to change something to get back into the match. He was more aggressive, his returns were much better, his body language showed he believed. The 2011 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion broke Federer’s serve in the second game and held comfortably for 3-0. The 24-year-old closed the set 6-3.
   Nole carried his momentum into the fourth set and with two breaks, for 6-2, levelled the match at two sets all.
 
   The decisive fifth set went on serve until the eighth game. Novak double-faulted to hand Federer three break points and the Swiss converted the first for 5-3 and a chance to serve out the match. The Basel native earned two match points, but Nole came back from the brink of defeat like last year. He saved them both and capitalised on the second break point opportunity to stay in the match. The world no.1 overpowered the Swiss once again to grab another break in eleventh game and served out the set and match 7-5 for historic victory!
 
   This is Novak’s 10th win out of 24 matches they played.
 
   It is the first year since 2002 that the 16-time Grand Slam champion has not won a major title.
 
" It was definitely the biggest win this year," Djokovic said on court immediately following his victory. "One of the biggest wins of my career. "
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak downs Federer again, faces Nadal in the finals!

  The stage was set for the world no.2 rankings battle between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals on Saturday.
  Third seeded Djokovic reached his third final of the season with a fantastic 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the Swiss in 2 hours and 6 minutes and will retake the no.2 position on Monday, March 21!
 
  The Serbian extended his unbeaten run to 19 straight matches, including a 17-0 record in 2011.
  This was Nole's third consecutive win over the 16-time Grand Slam champion. He defeated Federer in both their meetings this year en route to the Australian Open and Dubai titles.
 
  The 2008 Indian Wells champion made a break in the fifth game of the first set. He faced two break points in the very next game, but saved them both with great serving. The best Serbian tennis player sealed the game with a fantastic volley for 4-2 lead. Federer was serving to stay in the set when Nole brought up two set points at 15-40. The Swiss saved the first but hit wide on the second and Djokovic took the set 6-3 in 43 minutes.
 
  Nole lost his momentum in the second set. He was broken twice, in the third and ninth games, and Federer won it 6-3.
 
The 23-year-old Belgrade native broke Federer’s serve already in the opening game of the decisive third set and then saved two break point opportunities before holding for 2-0. The Swiss broke back in the fourth game to equalise the result, but Djokovic found his rhythm again, put the pressure on Federer and broke his serve two more times, in the fifth and seventh games for 5-2 lead. Nole faced a break point in the eighth game but held and closed the set and match 6-2.
 
" Before the three consecutive wins, he had three consecutive wins, so it's changing," said Novak, "but I feel I've been more confident stepping on the court to face him than I have been in the last few years and I'm just happy about it. "
 
" That was the biggest test of the tournament for me today. Any time I play Roger, it's a big challenge. He's a great champion, especially in the later stages of a tournament when he plays his best tennis. I played fantastic in the first set and then lost that break at the start of the second and got him back into the game. I was really fortunate to get the crucial break at 2-2 in the last set. "
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak clinches third Dubai title!

  World no.3 Novak Djokovic won his third straight Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships trophy! He defeated top seed Swiss Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 in 71 minutes.
This is Nole's twentieth career title and second in 2011.
 
  Federer sent a forehand long to hand Novak a break point in the third game, and followed it up with another missed forehand to give the Serb an early break. Djokovic broke Federer’s serve once again in the ninth game to take the first set 6-3.
 
  Nole was broken in the third game of the second set, but he quickly regained momentum and broke back in the sixth game to level the result to 3-3. The best Serbian tennis player finished the match as he began, with a towering confidence. The 23-year-old Belgrade native converted his third break point opportunity in the eighth game and then closed the set and match 6-3.
 
" I guess I rose to the occasion," said Novak. "I was aware of the challenge that is expecting me on the court, and I was aware of the fact that I need to be on top of my game in order to beat Roger. I was serving really well, especially the first set, holding my serve except that one game when I got broken, confidently through throughout the whole match. Just the perfect performance overall. "
 
Both players served 5 aces.
 
  Djokovic’s first serve win percentage was 82, compared to 63 for Federer.
  Nole capitalised on 4 of his 10 chances for break, while the Swiss converted only 1 of his 2 break points.
 
" I have this feeling in my head, and it's really important to know for me that I can perform this well," added Nole. "This match has probably been one of the best that I played this year. I want to keep it up, definitely. I feel physically well, fit, mentally motivated to do even more coming up to Indian Wells and Miami where I haven't done well in the last years. "
 
" Any time I win against Roger it's a great success because he's such a great player. We all know how mentally strong of a player he is. To be able to win against Roger in straight sets as I did tonight is incredible, but I want to keep on going. I know that I have qualities to do even more, and that's what I want. "
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak saves 2 MPs, downs Federer for second US Open final!

   Novak Djokovic saved two match points in a five set thriller to defeated no.2 seed and five-time US Open champion Roger Federer 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 in 3 hours and 44 minutes for a place in his second US Open final!
  Djokovic was pushed to deuce in the opening game of the match. The Serb found his rhythm in time to set up a game point with the first ace before going on to hold. Novak earned himself two break points in the second game, but Federer held. The Swiss missed his chance for break in the third game. Nole broke his serve in the sixth game, but Federer broke back immediately and made one more break in the eleventh game which was enough for him to take the first set 7-5 in 51 minutes.
 
  Novak was brilliant in the second set. He broke his opponent’s service twice, in the second and sixth games, and won it 6-1 in just 26 minutes.
  There were no chances for break in the third set until the 12th game, when Federer earned three in a row, which were also set points. He converted the first to clinch the set 7-5.
  Djokovic raised the level of his game in the fourth set. He put the pressure on no.2 seed and just like in the second set made a double break and cemented it with a love hold for 5-1. The 23-year-old from Belgrade served it out 6-2.
  The match went into a deciding set, the first time they have played a fifth set against each other in their career. Nole pushed Federer to deuce in the third game, but the Swiss held. The best Serbian tennis player put up a great fight again in the seventh game, but Federer survived. Novak faced two break/match points serving to stay in the match in the tenth game, but fought bravely and held to level the result. He then made a break to go up 6-5 earning himself opportunity to serve out the match. He saved a break point before closing the set and match 7-5.
 
Djokovic has been beaten by Federer at the US Open for the past three years, now he’s won and prevented the Swiss from reaching his seventh consecutive final in New York. With this victory, Nole will surpass Federer in the ATP Rankings as of Monday, September 13, to re-claim the no.2 spot.
 
It's Novak’s sixth win in their sixteen matches.
 
" It was just a big pleasure playing in this kind of match, " said Djokovic after the victory. " It's one of those matches you'll always remember in your career, not just because you won against one of the best players that ever played this game, but coming back from match points down and playing good tennis to win in the end. I'm just so thrilled to be in the final. "
 
" To be honest I was just closing my eyes and hitting forehands as fast as I can on the match points. If it goes in, it goes in. If it goes out, you know, another loss to Federer in the US Open. I managed to come back. I was very lucky. "
 
" The fifth set was very intense - mentally and physically - and took a lot out of me, " said Nole. " But in the end, it's a remarkable win, and I'm sure I will find the strength to give my best tomorrow in the court. "
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Fantastic Nole stuns Federer in his hometown Basel; clinches 15th career title!

  Second-seeded Djokovic defeated three-time defending champion and world no.1 Basel native Federer in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in 2 hours and 11 minutes in a blockbuster final at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors Basel tournament.
 
Novak won his fifteenth career title and fourth of the season, and improved his ATP World Tour leading record to 71-18. He will get 500 ATP points and €291,700.
 
  Djokovic broke Federer’s service in the ninth game of the first set. The 22-year-old lost only two points on his own serve til that moment, both making double faults. But the tenth game brought a lot of excitement. Both players were very nervous, they made many unforced errors. Novak missed six set points, Roger failed to capitalise on his five break point chances. The Serb held after great fight and used his seventh set point to take the set 6-4.
 
  Nole made a break in the opening game of the second set and then held for 2-0 lead. Federer broke back in the fourth game to level the score. At 4-5 Djokovic was serving to stay in the set, but couldn’t hold the pressure and got broken for the second time to lose it 4-6.
 
  World no.3 stayed focused, not thinking about the last game of the second set. He continued playing aggressive, hitting powerful accurate shots and it paid off. Novak broke Federer’s service twice and was soon 4-0 up. He was struggling on his serve in the sixth game, but saved all three break points and held for 5-1 lead. No.2 seed used his first match point to win the set and match 6-2. Roger holds a 9-5 advantage against Nole.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite  and  152M02704(youtube)
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Djokovic downs Federer! Final vs Rafa!

   Third seeded Novak Djokovic captured his 13th career title and second of the season, beating world no.179 lucky loser Lukasz Kubot of Poland in straight sets 6-3 7-6(0), in 1 hour and 50 minutes, to lift the trophy of the inaugural Serbia Open tournament.
  On his way to the finals Novak defeated compatriots Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki, and Italian Andreas Seppi. This was Kubot’s first ATP final and experienced Djokovic started the match much better.
  The best Serbian tennis player broke Kubot’s service in the second and sixth game for 5-1 lead. The Poland native earned three break points when Nole was serving for the set. He used the third and then held for 5-3. World no.3 was more successful in the second attempt and closed the set 6-3.
 
  Kubot was playing much better in the second set. Djokovic was struggling to find his rhythm, he was always behind, and twice a break down, but managed to come back from 2-5 to equalize the result. The set went to a tiebreaker and Nole won it convincingly 7-0 to clinch his hometown ATP World Tour title.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Djokovic downs Federer to reach the finals in Miami!

  World number three Novak Djokovic rallied from a one-set deficit to defeat second-seeded Roger Federer 3-6 6-2 6-3 in 1 hour and 46 minutes for a place in the finals of the Sony Ericsson Open (Miami).

   Federer broke Novak’s service in the fourth and the sixth game of the first set for 5-1 lead. Nole managed to break back once in the seventh game and then held for 5-3, but the Swiss closed the set 6-3.

  Nole earned two break points in the second game of the second set and converted the first for 2-0 advantage. He faced scare in the next, but held to increase his lead to 3-0. The 21-year old was broken in the fifth game, but he broke back immediately in a long game using his fifth break chance for 4-2. Federer got broken again in the eighth game and Djokovic took the set 6-2.

  The best Serbian tennis player continued in the same rhythm in the third set. He was 4-0 up with two breaks. Federer was making a lot of unforced errors. World no.2 managed to break Novak’s service in the fifth game and then held for 4-2. It looked like that might be a turnaround, but Djokovic didn’t let the match slip out of his hands and he held to love in the seventh game for 5-2. There were no breaks til the end and Nole served out the match, 6-3.

This was Novak’s third win in ten matches vs Federer.

  Both Djokovic and Federer served 4 aces and made 4 double faults.
Novak hit 20 winners to Federer’s 22, and made 30 unforced errors to Roger’s 47.
The Serb capitalised on 6 of his 10 chances for break, while the Swiss converted 4 of his 6 break points.

  Djokovic’s opponent in the finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament in Miami will be Andy Murray (GBR, 4) who defeated Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG, 6) in three sets.
  Novak will try to win his fifth Masters title and to repeat the success from 2007 when he lifted the trophy after defeating Guillermo Canas in the finals.
SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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