The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Recapping Djokovic’s win over Berdych

by: Tom Cochrane

World number one Novak Djokovic captured his fourth Dubai crown and the thirty-sixth title of his illustrious career with a 7-5 6-3 win over third seed and world number 6 Tomas Berdych on Saturday night.

Berdych, who upset defending champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals, started the sharper of the two finalists, hitting some fine backhands down the line and registering the first break of the match in the fifth game with a sizzling forehand passing shot. The top seeded Djokovic gradually worked his way into the match and broke back in the eighth game when Berdych netted a volley, much to the delight of the heavily pro-Djokovic crowd.

It was clear that Berdych’s game plan was to attack at every opportunity, but the Czech star started to overhit towards the end of the first set and Djokovic sensed his opportunity, bringing up a break point on Berdych’s serve in the twelfth game before a Berdych double fault handed the first set to Djokovic, 7-5.

The second set was another tight affair, with both players holding serve with relative ease in the early stages. There was a slight opening for Berdych when Djokovic went down 0-30 in the seventh game, but the Serb worked his way out of trouble to maintain his advantage in the second set.

Serving to level the second set at 4-all, a couple of loose points by Berdych gave Djokovic a break point, and a missed smash by the third seed handed the 6-time Grand Slam champion a 5-3 lead and the chance to serve for the championship.

When Berdych gained a break back point, some onlookers sensed that the Czech was about to mount a comeback to rival the stunning come-from-behind victory he managed against Federer. But a 195km/hr ace from Djokovic quickly snuffed out Berdych’s challenge and the top seed claimed victory on his second match point, claiming the win in one hour and 34 minutes.

For Djokovic, it was another fine win in the Middle East to go with his triumph in Abu Dhabi earlier this season. The Serb remains unbeaten in 2013 and will be the red-hot favourite at the season’s first Masters event in Indian Wells next week. For Berdych, it was a fantastic week, with the Czech’s win over Federer being the clear highlight. The third seed was not far away from besting Djokovic in tonight’s final, but he needs to take his opportunities against the world’s very best for, as Berdych found out tonight, they can be few and far between.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Djokovic vs. Berdych final preview

by: Tom Cochrane

World number one Novak Djokovic and world number 6 Tomas Berdych will contest tonight’s final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after scoring impressive wins over Juan Martin Del Potro and Roger Federer respectively in yesterday’s semi-finals.

Djokovic improved his career record against Del Potro to 8-2 with a 6-3 7-6(4) victory over the lanky Argentine. The Serb broke early in the first set and staved off a break back opportunity for Del Potro with a sizzling backhand down the line en route to capturing the opening set.

The fourth seeded Del Potro came out all guns blazing at the start of the second set, breaking the top seed as he established a 3-0 lead. A warning for a time violation when down break point suddenly halted Del Potro’s momentum, as the 2009 US Open champion dropped serve twice in succession to hand the ascendency back to the world number one.

However, as has been the case on multiple occasions this week, Djokovic failed to serve out the match and the see-sawing set proceeded to a tiebreaker. Utilising all of his big-match experience, Djokovic was the steadier of the two players in the tiebreaker, claiming it 7 points to 4 to book his spot in the final.

The second semi-final saw Tomas Berdych save a trio of match points before recording his fifth win in 8 encounters against second seed and defending champion Roger Federer. Federer was the sharper player in the opening set, claiming it 6-3 as Berdych took his time adjusting to the evening conditions.

Berdych upped his game in the second set and had a chance to serve for the set at 5-3, but when Federer led by 6 points to 4 in the second set tiebreaker, it looked as though the Swiss master would be joining his great rival Djokovic in the final (and perhaps by way of a near-identical scoreline). Berdych refused to quit however, and the big Czech clobbered a forehand return winner off a Federer second serve to take the tiebreaker 10 points to 8.

With Federer ruing his missed opportunities in the second set and Berdych feeling more and more comfortable on-court, the Czech third seed broke Federer in the fifth game of the deciding set, silencing the mainly pro-Federer crowd in the process. Although the Czech failed to convert match points on Federer’s serve in the ninth game of the final set, he made no mistakes when serving for the match in the next game, holding to love to seal a famous victory.

Looking ahead to tonight’s final, which is scheduled to commence at 7pm local time, the biggest question is whether Berdych can back up his fabulous win over Federer with another big-time performance against the world number one. The third seed has enjoyed just one win in thirteen clashes against Djokovic, but it was on one of the sport’s biggest stages that Berdych claimed that win, at Wimbledon in the 2010 semi-finals.

The big-hitting Berdych obviously likes the fast courts here in Dubai, but today he faces the best defensive player in the game (and the best player overall at present) in Djokovic, who has won the Dubai tournament 3 times. I think Berdych will struggle to back up mentally from last night’s win, although if he is to fulfil his lifelong ambition of winning a Grand Slam, it will likely require beating at least 2 members of the “Big 4”. From that perspective, tonight’s match will be a good test to see how close Berdych is to doing just that.

I predict Djokovic will go on the attack early and look to neutralise Berdych’s big serve with the Serb’s impressive returning game. If Berdych gets his eye in, he could overpower the top seed, but I think Djokovic will be too consistent and too cunning for the Czech tonight. Djokovic in 2.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow to review the final.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Day 5 Notes

by: Tom Cochrane

Friday is the first day of the weekend in the United Arab Emirates, and tennis fans in Dubai are in for a treat on their first day of rest with two blockbuster semi-finals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships today.

The first semi-final, which is scheduled for 5pm local time, features world number one and three-time Dubai champion Novak Djokovic up against 2009 US Open champion and fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro.

Del Potro advanced to the semi-finals courtesy of a 6-4 6-2 win over German qualifier Daniel Brands. The big-serving Brands stayed with the Argentine for most of the opening set before a loose service game in the tenth game handed Del Potro the first set. That was part of a 5 game run for the fourth seed, who jumped out to an early lead in the second set, assisted in part by multiple double faults from the German, and maintained his advantage to claim the win.

Djokovic booked his place in the final 4 with a comprehensive win over Italian Andreas Seppi. While he pushed Djokovic to 5 sets at Roland Garros last year, Seppi was no match for the Serb on the super-fast Dubai hard-courts, losing the first set to love before restoring some pride by capturing 3 games in the second set.

Del Potro has complained of some soreness in his left wrist this week, which affects his ability to hit backhands, and the Argentine, who missed almost all of the 2010 season with an injury to the same wrist, will need to hope he is at full fitness if he is to challenge the top seeded Djokovic today. The Serb has improved with every match so far this week, and has a commanding 7-2 career record against Del Potro.

If Del Potro’s wrist is not bothering him and he serves at his best, then the Argentine definitely has the firepower to win this match. But Djokovic has overtaken Nadal as the sport’s best player defensively and also has enough weaponry to match Del Potro in the offensive stakes. On that basis, I’m predicting the world number one to advance to tomorrow’s final.

Third seed Tomas Berdych will fancy his chances in today’s second semi-final against defending champion Roger Federer, which is scheduled to begin at 7pm local time. The Czech has won 4 of the last 7 matches between the pair, including famous victories at Wimbledon in 2010 and the US Open last year.

Berdych was untroubled in his quarter-final against Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov, who was hampered by a hamstring complaint in his 6-3 6-2 loss to the world number 6. Federer looked sharp against another Russian, crushing veteran Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-2.

As Federer readily admits, he has struggled against Berdych in the past, despite holding an 11-5 career advantage over the Czech. Berdych’s explosive power game means that he can dictate play against almost any opponent and in many ways the outcome of any of his matches is up to Berdych and whether he mainly hits winners or makes unforced errors.

On the fast courts in Dubai, it’s often a case of “first-strike tennis”, in the sense that it’s hard to regain the ascendency in a point after going on the defensive. This should help Berdych, although Federer is obviously a fan of the courts at the Aviation Club, having won the Dubai tournament on 5 occasions.

I think this match will go the distance, and I don’t think much will separate the players down the stretch. I’ll back Federer on the basis of his superb record in Dubai, but this should be a fantastic match to watch regardless of the result.

Day 5 picks:

• Novak Djokovic to defeat Juan Martin Del Potro in 2 sets; and
• Roger Federer to defeat Tomas Berdych in 3 sets.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Day 4 Notes

by: Tom Cochrane

Event organisers were in a good mood on Day 3 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as each of the top 4 seeds in the tournament progressed to the quarter-finals.

Top seed Novak Djokovic breezed through the opening set against Roberto Bautista Agut for the loss of just one game and, at 5-3 in the second set, looked ready to notch up a comfortable victory. But the Spaniard broke serve and then saved 4 match points en route to sending the second set into a tiebreaker. It was a gallant effort by Bautista Agut but Djokovic had too much composure in the tiebreaker, claiming it 7 points to 4.

Defending champion and second seed Roger Federer had a comfortable win over Marcel Granollers, defeating the Spaniard 6-3 6-4. Federer looked sharper than he had in his opening round match, not dropping serve for the entire match. Fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro also moved through to the quarter-finals without losing his serve, recording a 6-4 6-4 win over India’s top-ranked singles player, Somdev Devvarman.

Third seed Tomas Berdych, a finalist in Marseille last week, struggled at times in the midday heat against Germany’s Tobias Kamke but ultimately had too much firepower from the back of the court, moving through with a 7-5 6-1 win.

Today’s quarter-finals see Del Potro square off against the qualifier Daniel Brands and Berdych up against the wildcard entry Dmitry Tursunov. The big-hitting Brands is a dangerous player, but Del Potro should relish the pace of ball that he will receive from the German. Tursunov is a former top 20 player in the twilight of his career. The Russian is a tough competitor but Berdych should improve with each match in Dubai as he adjusts to the conditions after playing indoors in Marseille last week.

In tonight’s quarter-finals, Djokovic faces Andreas Seppi and Federer takes on Nikolay Davydenko. Seppi was close to causing an almighty upset at Roland Garros last year when he led Djokovic by 2 sets to love before the world number one launched a stirring comeback. Djokovic will undoubtedly still remember that match and will be determined not to give the counterpunching Italian any opportunities in their encounter tonight. While their match in Paris was played in difficult windy conditions, tonight’s conditions should be far more calm, which will suit the top seed.

Nikolay Davydenko, a fixture in the world’s top 10 for much of the last decade, will be out to upset the 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer tonight, and at his best Davydenko would be in with an outside chance. But the Russian is a touch slower than he was at his prime, and after a couple of good wins in Dubai may be running out of steam.

Day 4 picks:

• Novak Djokovic to defeat Andreas Seppi in 2 sets;
• Roger Federer to defeat Nikolay Davydenko in 2 sets;
• Juan Martin Del Potro to defeat Daniel Brands in 2 sets; and
• Tomas Berdych to defeat Dmitry Tursunov in 2 sets.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Day 3 Notes

by: Tom Cochrane

Day 2 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships saw top seed Novak Djokovic, third seed Tomas Berdych and fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro all progress to the second round of the tournament. The news was not so good for fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and sixth seed Janko Tipsarevic, each of whom crashed out of the tournament.

Having not played an ATP Tour match since capturing his fourth Australian Open crown last month, Novak Djokovic showed no signs of rustiness, racing through the first set against countryman Viktor Troicki for the loss of just one game. Troicki raised his level in the second set, even managing to break the Djokovic serve on one occasion, but Djokovic was always in control, eventually recording a 6-1 6-4 victory.

While Berdych was never really troubled against the American Rajeev Ram, dropping just 4 games for the match, Del Potro was pushed to the brink of defeat by Marcos Baghdatis. The Argentine was forced to save 3 match points before prevailing in a third set tiebreaker.

In a successful day for the veterans on the ATP Tour, Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko took down Tipsarevic 6-0 7-5, French veteran recorded his first ever win over compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with a 7-6(3) 6-2 victory, and experienced Romanian Victor Hanescu prevailed when young star Bernard Tomic was forced to retire due to illness in the first set of their match.

Today’s feature matches see Swiss superstar Roger Federer take on Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Djokovic in action against another Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut. Granollers is a solid singles and doubles player, but the Spaniard prefers slower courts and in any event I don’t think he has any real weapons to hurt Federer with. Bautista Agut is a promising up-and-coming player who upset Tomas Berdych in Chennai in January, but Djokovic looked sharp last night and won’t take the Spaniard lightly.

Look for Tomas Berdych to cruise past German Tobias Kamke with a minimum of fuss in their second round clash today – the Czech loves fast hard courts such as those at the Aviation Club and should have too much firepower for Kamke. Juan Martin Del Potro should have an easier time on court today after his marathon match against Baghdatis yesterday, with India’s Somdev Devvarman unlikely to be able to match the Argentine’s power off both wings from the back of the court.

Day 3 picks:

• Novak Djokovic to defeat Roberto Bautista Agut in 2 sets;
• Roger Federer to defeat Marcel Granollers in 2 sets;
• Juan Martin Del Potro to defeat Somdev Devvarman in 2 sets; and
• Tomas Berdych to defeat Tobias Kamke in 2 sets.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Day 2 Notes

by: Tom Cochrane

17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer survived a scare in the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday night, losing the first set to unheralded Tunisian Malek Jaziri before bouncing back to claim the win in 3 sets.

After the Swiss maestro threw away a trio of break point opportunities in the opening set, Jaziri delighted his fans at the Aviation Club in Dubai by claiming the decisive break in the eleventh game of the first set and duly serving out the set in the following game.

The loss of the first set catapulted Federer into action, the second seed immediately raising the standard of his game as he swept through the second and third sets for the loss of just 2 games to book his place in the next round.

Other winners on Day 1 included Italian Andreas Seppi, who recorded his first career win in Dubai and his first career win over Paul-Henri Mathieu with a 6-3 7-5 victory, former finalist Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated the Slovenian Blaz Kavcic, and the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, already a finalist in Chennai this season, who saw off the young Belgian David Goffin.

A host of great matches are scheduled for Day 2, with world number one Novak Djokovic taking on compatriot Viktor Troicki in the feature night match. Having won the Davis Cup alongside Djokovic in 2010, the big serving Troicki has seen his form taper off in the last 12 months and I can’t see him really challenging the top seed in this clash.

Juan Martin Del Potro, a semi-finalist in Dubai on debut last year, takes on former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in a match sure to feature some marvellous shot-making and some heavy hitting. Del Potro, who claimed the title in Rotterdam just over a week ago, should ultimately have too much firepower for the Cypriot but I suspect this one will go the distance.

In an all-French encounter, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga takes on the serve-and-volley veteran Michael Llodra. Llodra always seems to play well against his countrymen, but Tsonga won the tournament in Marseille on the weekend and so enters the Dubai tournament full of confidence and in good form. On that basis, I’ll back the flamboyant Tsonga to edge past his countryman.

Sixth seed Janko Tipsarevic is yet another Serb in action on Day 2, taking on Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko. Davydenko, who made the final in Doha in January in a welcome return to form, is a brilliant mover around the court and a former world number 3, but is approaching the end of his career and may not have the stamina to stay with his younger opponent.

Day 2 picks:

• Novak Djokovic to defeat Viktor Troicki in 2 sets;
• Janko Tipsarevic to defeat Nikolay Davydenko in 3 sets;
• Juan Martin Del Potro to defeat Marcos Baghdatis in 3 sets; and
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to defeat Michael Llodra in 2 sets.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2013: Tournament Preview and Day 1 Notes

by: Tom Cochrane

The men’s edition of the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships commences on Monday at the Aviation Club in Dubai, with defending champion and part-time Dubai resident Roger Federer looking to capture the sixth Dubai crown of his illustrious career.

Federer starts his campaign in Dubai this year against Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri, a wild card entry who currently sits at 130 in the world rankings. The 29 year old Jaziri is sure to attract plenty of support in the United Arab Emirates, being one of the few Arab players on the ATP Tour, but I suspect the Tunisian will find it tough going against the Swiss master in Monday night’s feature match.

Federer is in the tougher bottom half of the draw, with a potential quarter-final match-up against sixth seed Janko Tipsarevic and a possible semi-final showdown against either Tomas Berdych or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Rising star Bernard Tomic, who claimed his first tournament victory in Sydney in January, is also in Federer’s quarter of the draw, as is the Russian veteran and former world number three Nikolay Davydenko.

Having won the Dubai tournament three years in a row before going down to Andy Murray in the semi-finals of last year’s event, world number one Novak Djokovic will be looking to reclaim his crown. The Serb has yet to lose an official match in 2013 and will be looking to maintain the momentum created by his third successive Australian Open win last month.

Djokovic faces his good friend and Davis Cup teammate Viktor Troicki in the opening round, in a match that is most likely to be played on Tuesday night. The top seed lost his first tour match against Troicki, but has beaten his compatriot twelve consecutive times since that opening encounter.

Djokovic, who has accepted a wild card into the men’s doubles with brother Marko, is drawn to face the solid but unspectacular Andreas Seppi in the quarter-finals of the singles event, with the big-hitting Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro (a tournament winner in Rotterdam a week ago) a likely semi-final opponent.

Day 1 picks:

• Roger Federer to defeat Malek Jaziri in 2 sets;
• Andreas Seppi to defeat Paul-Henri Mathieu in 3 sets; and
• Mikhail Youzhny to defeat Blaz Kavcic in 2 sets.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

Australian Open 2013: Men’s final review

by: Tom Cochrane

Novak Djokovic became the first male in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian Open championships on Day 14, the world number one defeating Andy Murray in 4 sets to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the fourth time in his career.

Day 14 Recap

Very little separated the two players in the opening two sets, with the third seeded Murray looking more aggressive than in previous encounters against Djokovic and once again demonstrating his much-improved serve. Murray took the opening set in a tiebreak, 7 points to 2, and Djokovic seemed rattled by the Scot’s impressive start to the match.

Murray had his chance to stretch his lead early in the second set, with the top seeded Djokovic down 0-40 on his serve in the second game of the set. Murray was unable to secure the break, fluffing an easy backhand on one of the break point opportunities, and it was a moment that both players looked back on after the match as having been decisive. Like the first set, the second set featured no breaks, but this time it was Djokovic who come out on top in the tiebreak, levelling the match at a set apiece.

Murray called for the trainer at the end of the second set, the reigning US Open champion bothered by some sizeable blisters on his right foot. No doubt feeling the effects of his 5-set victory over Roger Federer on Friday night, Murray refused to throw in the towel, hanging tough in the third set as Djokovic started to step inside the court and began dictating more and more of the points. However, after 34 games in the match and eight in the third set, the dam wall finally broke, Djokovic breaking the Scot before holding to love to take a critical 2 sets to 1 lead.

Losing the third set seemed to deflate Murray mentally, and the world number one could sense that he wasn’t far away from the finishing line. With Murray’s movement slightly impaired from the blister problems, Djokovic took full advantage, establishing a commanding 5-1 lead in the fourth set before Murray held serve to make the Serb serve for the championship. Djokovic made no mistake, securing a 6-7(2) 7-6(3) 6-3 6-2 victory in 3 hours and 40 minutes.

For Djokovic, it was a history-making achievement and one that cements his position as the best player in the men’s game right now. The Serb will now be setting his sights firmly on Roland Garros as he seeks to complete a career Grand Slam. With Rafael Nadal still on the way back from injury, 2013 may well represent Djokovic’s best chance to date to claim his first French Open title.

For Murray, it’s undoubtedly another hard loss to take, his third failure in the final in 4 years at Melbourne Park, but the Scot was philosophical after the match, admitting he had failed to seize his chances in the second set yet acknowledging that the last 6 months have produced the best tennis of his life. If Murray can maintain this rich vein of form, I’m sure there will be plenty more majors around the corner for the world number 3.

That’s it for today. I hope you have enjoyed the coverage of this year’s Australian Open and I’ll be back with some more serves later in the season.

Australian Open 2013: Djokovic vs. Murray finals preview

by: Tom Cochrane

Victoria Azarenka is the 2013 Australian Open women’s champion, the Belarusian defending her title at Melbourne Park with a thrilling 3-set win over Li Na.

Day 13 Recap

The world number one entered Saturday night’s final as a heavy favourite, and it appeared early on as if the Belarusian was burdened by that favouritism, with crowd favourite Li Na racing out to an early lead. Taking the ball incredibly early and jumping all over Azarenka’s second serves, Li Na took the opening set 6-4 as the crowd started to sense a boilover.

Azarenka appeared tense in the opening set and seemed to struggle to find the appropriate balance between aggressive shot-making and more conservative play. Unfortunately for Li, a rolled ankle in the second set seemed to halt the sixth seed’s momentum, opening the door for Azarenka to climb back into the match. With Li still going for her shots but starting to miss somewhat more frequently, Azarenka levelled the match at a set apiece, taking the second set 6-4.

There was more drama in the final set, with the players trading service breaks before Li again fell over on her ankle, this time hitting her head on the court, which triggered an injury time-out and much concern all around. Undeterred, the Chinese star continued to fight but the world number one was not to be denied, grabbing the decisive break to lead 5-3 before breaking Li in ninth game to seal the win in 2 hours and 40 minutes and claim back-to-back Australian Open championships. It was clear how much the win meant to the top seed, with Azarenka bursting into tears after winning the final point.

Match of the Day – Day 14

Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray

Contesting their second successive Grand Slam final against one another, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are seeking to cement a slight changing of the guard in the men’s game.

The great Roger Federer was finally defeated by Andy Murray at Grand Slam level, losing a compelling 5-set semi-final on Friday night. Although the Swiss master is still near the top of the sport, it’s probably fair to say that his best tennis is behind him. Rafael Nadal returns to the ATP Tour next month, and it remains to be seen if the 11-time Grand Slam champion can avoid injury to return to the apex of the men’s game.

In the meantime, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have become the two most dominant players in the game. The Serb has asserted himself at the top of the tree over the last 24 months and Murray has been right there beside him in the last half a year, making the Wimbledon final, winning the Olympic gold medal and also claiming his maiden major title at Flushing Meadows. The third seed outlasted Djokovic in 5 sets to win that historic first Grand Slam, and the Scot will now be determined to become a multiple major champion and not a one-Slam wonder.

That win in New York will have given Murray an incredible amount of confidence heading into this final, as the Scot now truly knows he has what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. Djokovic leads Murray 10-7 overall in career meetings, but very little separates the two of them. Djokovic was dynamic against Ferrer in his semi-final, but Murray was just as impressive in slaying the great Federer. I think this final should be another classic. I’ll go with Djokovic given his incredible success on Rod Laver Arena in the past, but it’s a 50-50 call to my mind. Djokovic in 5.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve to wrap up the men’s final tomorrow.

Australian Open 2013: Women’s final preview

by: Tom Cochrane

Andy Murray will face world number one Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s men’s final after outlasting 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in an absorbing 5-set tussle on Day 12. In the women’s tournament, world number one Victoria Azarenka and sixth seed Li Na go head-to-head for the women’s championship in tonight’s final.

Day 12 Recap

A capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena was treated to another thrilling encounter between two members of the Big Four in the men’s game, as Murray came out all guns blazing against the Swiss great in the opening set. A break point opportunity to Murray in the opening game proved to be a sign of what was to come, with the Scot firing down 5 aces to Federer’s none as the third-seeded Murray claimed the opening set.

The second set was a tight affair, with no breaks of serve leading in to the tiebreaker. Federer took the early lead in the tiebreaker, only for Murray to rally and level the breaker at 5-all. From there Federer steadied to level the encounter at a set apiece before Murray again made the front-running in the third set, eventually taking a 2 sets to 1 lead over the second seed.

Federer looked to have the ascendency in the fourth set as he went up a break before the Scot broke back and broke again to put himself in a position to serve for the match. Undeterred, Federer broke back to force the tiebreaker, which he claimed to send the match to a decider. Unflustered by losing the fourth set, Murray exhibited his exemplary fitness and stamina, taking the fifth set 6-2 to set up a 2011 Australian Open final rematch against the top seed Novak Djokovic.

Match of the Day – Day 13

Li Na vs. Victoria Azarenka

Top seed and defending champion Victoria Azarenka enters tonight’s women’s final as the heavy favourite, having seen her main rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova get bundled out of the tournament. The Belarusian faces a very tough opponent in Li Na however, and the world number one must also respond to a couple of issues that came out of her semi-final victory over Sloane Stephens.

The first of those issues relates to Azarenka’s physical shape, with the top seed apparently battling ankle and knee ailments. The second issue is of a mental nature, with Azarenka being the subject of much controversy for taking a 10 minute break at a critical stage of the second set against Stephens, allegedly to combat “breathing difficulties”. Many observers have hit out at Azarenka for what they consider to be an act of gamesmanship, although Stephens herself shied away from making any such accusations.

Azarenka will need to block out such noise if she is to claim her second career Grand Slam, and she will also need to adopt a far more aggressive and positive mindset in the final than what she showed in the latter stages of the semi-final. Whether it was gamesmanship or a legitimate injury break, the fact remains that Azarenka tightened up significantly as the young American Stephens started to find her range in the second set.

Li Na was in stellar form against Sharapova in her semi-final, and the partnership with Carlos Rodriguez, her coach since August last year, appears to already being paying dividends for the sixth seed. Having won the 2011 French Open (becoming, in the process, the first ever Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title) and made the 2011 final at Melbourne Park, Li Na won’t be overwhelmed by the occasion and, just as importantly, won’t feel the immense pressure to win a major that preceded her previous major final appearances. Li Na also seemed to become heavily burdened with off-court distractions after winning that historic first major, and her form suffered as a result, but the sixth seed now appears fitter and more confident, and critically, seems to be enjoying her tennis once more.

Also in Li Na’s favour is the fact that Azarenka, like Sharapova, really only knows one style of game, which is to hit hard from the back of the court. In other words, there’s not really a “Plan B” for the top seed. The Chinese star likes a fast ball and generally plays better against the power hitters than she does in matches where she has to generate all of her own pace.

The best player in the world for the first half of 2012, Azarenka was eclipsed by Serena Williams in the second half of last year, but the Belarusian was merely points away from capturing the title at Flushing Meadows and, along with Williams, stands head and shoulders above the rest of the players on the WTA at her best.

To my mind, this final will come down to whether Azarenka can produce her best tennis when it really counts. Not much separates the pair – both have decent serves, move well and can generate tremendous power off both wings, although Azarenka has more variety and consistency off the forehand side. I’ll back Azarenka to shrug off the controversy over her semi-final match to pull through in a hard-fought final. Azarenka in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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