INDIAN WELLS: Novak Djokovic claimed his third ATP World Tour title in a perfect season by beating top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Sunday.
The unstoppable Serb shrugged off the loss of the opening set to outlast the world number one in a gripping match lasting two hours 25 minutes at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, extending his remarkable record for the year to 18-0.
Australian Open champion Djokovic, who overcame Swiss world number two Roger Federer in the last four, broke Nadal twice in the final set before sealing victory when the Spanish left-hander netted a forehand.
It was the Serb's second triumph in the elite ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, having first won the title here as a 20-year-old in 2008.
"I want to congratulate Rafa on a great tournament," third-seeded Djokovic said courtside after celebrating victory by clenching both fists. "He had to lose but he has started off the year very well.
"It's always a pleasure to play you. For me, you are the greatest player ever and a good friend so I wish you good luck."
Nadal, the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, applauded the Serb for his third successive tournament win of the year.
"You started the season fantastic so all the best for the rest of the season," the Spaniard said after his own record for the year slipped to 14-3. "Well done. I lost today but I lost to one of the greatest."
BROKE BACK
The opening set went with serve until Nadal broke Djokovic in the fifth game but the Serb immediately broke back in the sixth, pumping his right fist in delight after hitting a backhand winner down the line.
However the Spaniard regained control by breaking Djokovic in the seventh, after his opponent dumped successive backhands into the net, to lead 5-3.
Nadal then held to love in his next two service games to win the first set in 48 minutes.
The second set was almost a mirror image of the first with three successive breaks of serve paving the way for Djokovic to level the match.
He broke Nadal in the sixth game after the Spaniard hooked a forehand wide before failing to hold his own serve in the seventh.
The Serb immediately recovered, though, by again breaking in the eighth and he shook off a strong challenge by Nadal in the ninth, holding serve with his sixth set point after his opponent pushed a two-fisted backhand wide.
Roared on by flag-waving Serbian fans in the stadium's upper tier, Djokovic effectively closed the door on the Spaniard by with service breaks in the first and third games of the final set.
The Serb fired down aces to hold serve in the fourth and sixth games before sealing victory in the eighth on his first match point when Nadal dumped a forehand into the net.
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The unstoppable Serb shrugged off the loss of the opening set to outlast the world number one in a gripping match lasting two hours 25 minutes at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, extending his remarkable record for the year to 18-0.
Australian Open champion Djokovic, who overcame Swiss world number two Roger Federer in the last four, broke Nadal twice in the final set before sealing victory when the Spanish left-hander netted a forehand.
It was the Serb's second triumph in the elite ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, having first won the title here as a 20-year-old in 2008.
"I want to congratulate Rafa on a great tournament," third-seeded Djokovic said courtside after celebrating victory by clenching both fists. "He had to lose but he has started off the year very well.
"It's always a pleasure to play you. For me, you are the greatest player ever and a good friend so I wish you good luck."
Nadal, the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, applauded the Serb for his third successive tournament win of the year.
"You started the season fantastic so all the best for the rest of the season," the Spaniard said after his own record for the year slipped to 14-3. "Well done. I lost today but I lost to one of the greatest."
BROKE BACK
The opening set went with serve until Nadal broke Djokovic in the fifth game but the Serb immediately broke back in the sixth, pumping his right fist in delight after hitting a backhand winner down the line.
However the Spaniard regained control by breaking Djokovic in the seventh, after his opponent dumped successive backhands into the net, to lead 5-3.
Nadal then held to love in his next two service games to win the first set in 48 minutes.
The second set was almost a mirror image of the first with three successive breaks of serve paving the way for Djokovic to level the match.
He broke Nadal in the sixth game after the Spaniard hooked a forehand wide before failing to hold his own serve in the seventh.
The Serb immediately recovered, though, by again breaking in the eighth and he shook off a strong challenge by Nadal in the ninth, holding serve with his sixth set point after his opponent pushed a two-fisted backhand wide.
Roared on by flag-waving Serbian fans in the stadium's upper tier, Djokovic effectively closed the door on the Spaniard by with service breaks in the first and third games of the final set.
The Serb fired down aces to hold serve in the fourth and sixth games before sealing victory in the eighth on his first match point when Nadal dumped a forehand into the net.
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