Djokovic retains Dubai title

Djokovic retains Dubai title

Dubai: Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the weather-hit ATP Dubai Open on Sunday, defeating Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a roller coaster of a final.
    The match had been held over from Saturday because of heavy rain with defending champion Djokovic 7-5, 2-0 ahead.
    At that stage the second seeded Serb had appeared to be coasting to his first ever defence of an ATP title when the first rain seen in the Emirates since early January sent players and fans alike scampering for cover.
    But all that changed when the two players got back on court in hot, sunny conditions on Sunday.
    Youzhny first of all broke back to level at 4-4 and then, helped by two Djokovic double faults, he put himself into position to serve for the second set.
    The frustrated Serb was warned for racquet abuse at the changeover but his display of temper appeared to help him refocus as he broke back in the following game to level at 5-5.
    Once again though the Djokovic serve failed to function and he was broken to love on the back of three unforced errors.
    This time Youzhny, who beat Djokovic in the Rotterdam semifinals two weeks ago, made no mistake, holding his own serve to love to level the set scores.
    Djokovic regained the initiative at the start of the deciding set, breaking Youzhny's serve with a big forehand down the line in the second game as he moved out into a 3-0 lead.
    But once again the Russian dug deep to break back two games later, drawing level once more at 3-3.
    Youzhny had a break point to go 4-3 up, but blasted wide with a crosscourt forehand as Djokovic looked to be out of the rally.
    The Russian paid the full price in the following game when two unforced errors gave Djokovic two break points and he converted the second of those when Youzhny hit a forehand long after an energy-sapping rally.
    Djokovic comfortably served out to clinch his first title win of the year and consolidate his world number two ranking behind Roger Federer.
Gulbis plays Karlovic in final
Delray Beach (USA): Ernests Gulbis of Latvia and Ivo Karlovic of Croatia will play in the final at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships on Sunday.
    Gulbis reached his first career final with a 6-4, 6-4 semifinal win over Jarkko Nieminen of Finland on Saturday, while Karlovic took out defending champion Mardy Fish 6-2, 6-3.
    Karlovic, who is in the hunt for a fifth career title, will face the 21-yearold Gulbis for the first time on the same day he celebrates his 31st birthday.
    "I was playing really well,'' said the 33rd-ranked Karlovic, who only lost six points on serve in the match. "I don't remember when I've played like this.
    "It was really cold so I didn't have that many aces, but everything else was really good.''
    The 72nd-ranked Gulbis of Latvia, who has reached two other semifinals, was serving for the match at 6-4, 5-4 when rain interrupted play for just over three hours. It took him two minutes to serve out the match when they went back on court in front of 61 spectators.
    He finished in fine style with a 125 mph (201 kph) ace. "I'm mentally stronger than I was,'' Gulbis said. "I feel different on court. I think I'm playing a lot smarter I think, I hope. I was ready from the first point.'' Nieminen is on the comeback after a groin injury, wrist surgery and the swine flu sidelined him for most of last season.
    "I thought I didn't do too much wrong in the whole match,'' he said. "He didn't give me too much margin in making an error because he was serving huge.''
    Bob and Mike Bryan, the No. 1 doubles team in the world, captured their 600th career match win by beating fellow Americans Taylor Dent and Ryan Harrison 6-7(6), 7-5(10-4) in the semifinals.
    If the Bryans win the title on Sunday, they will have the second-most doubles wins in history. The twins are tied at 57 with Peter Fleming and John McEnroe, while former players Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde of Australia hold the record with 61 doubles titles. AGENCIES

 

TRIUMPHANT: Novak Djokovic of Serbia with the winner's trophy after defeating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the final of the Dubai Open on Sunday