By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 8, 2015
Novak Djokovic punished Andy Murray, 6-2, 6-4, scoring his 22nd straight win and becoming the first man to capture six Masters titles in one season.
Photo credit: Corinne Dubreuil/FFT
Skilled players change the pace. A dominant Novak Djokovic altered the place.
Djokovic's shattering drives and buzz kill defense left Andy Murray looking a bit disorientated and the Paris logo behind the baseline looking a bit misleading.
At this point, every stop on the circuit resembles Djokovic's turf. The world No. 1 served up another eviction notice today.
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Contesting his 14th consecutive final, Djokovic punished Murray, 6-2, 6-4, in the Paris Masters final to capture his 10th title of the season and make history as the first man to collect six Masters crowns in a single season.
The reigning champion extended his winning streak to 22 matches in becoming the first player to claim four Paris Masters championships, breaking a tie he shared with former No. 1 Marat Safin and coach Boris Becker.
In a beautifully ruthless performance, the defending champion outclassed the second seed in every phase of the game. Ravaging return games, Djokovic won 20 of 31 points played on Murray's second serve, earned break points in seven of the Scot's nine service games and broke four times.
Djokovic and Murray were born a week apart, grew into junior rivals and have shared the court as practice partners, but the Serbian showed no benevolence beating Murray for the 10th time in their last 11 meetings to take a 21-9 lead in their rivalry.
The first Paris final featuring the top two seeds since 1990, when top-seeded Stefan Edberg beat Djokovic's coach, Boris Becker, began as an opportunity match for Murray.
The world No. 3 took the court having won four finals in a row, including a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Djokovic in the Montreal final in August, and knew he could secure the season-ending No. 2 spot for the first time with a win today.
It didn't take long for the Serbian to reproduce the dynamic tennis he played administering a Shanghai semifinal shellacking to his opponent last month. Djokovic reeled off eight consecutive points, slamming shut a love hold then slashing Murray's serve at love for a 2-1 lead.
Variety and superb feel for the ball make Murray an unsettling opponent for most. Deploying his versatility, Murray used his crunching backhand, some slick running strikes and even a serve-volley play fighting off three break points to navigate an 11-and-a-half minute hold for 2-3.
Unerring baseline drives and the fact he produces more top spin off his forehand give Djokovic access to angles the flatter-hitting Scot cannot match.
Knowing he can't live with the Serbian in longer baseline rallies, Murray tried pulling the trigger earlier and paid the price. He strayed an inside-out forehand then netted a forehand sitter gifting a second break and 5-2 lead to the top seed. An ace wide followed by an error helped Djokovic close the 42-minute opening set. He won two of his four service games at love, while breaking serve in two of Murray's four service games.
Pummeling forehands into opposite corners that sent his opponent careening in pursuit, Djokovic scored his third break for a 2-1 second-set lead. By then, the 10-time Grand Slam champion had earned break points in five of the Scot's six service games.
In complete command, Djokovic spaced out.
Mistakenly believing a Murray shot would float long, Djokovic brain-cramped, declined to play the shot well within reach and watched the ball land inside the line. That mental lapse was costly: Murray broke at love for 2-all.
The depth of Djokovic's drives combined with near infallible shotmaking—he made just one error through the first seven game of the set—caused Murray to crack again. Drilling a deep return down the middle, Djokovic drew a forehand shank for two break points, earning his fourth break for 4-3.
Closing a commanding 92-minute sweep, Djokovic captured his 58th career title. He raised his season record to 78-5—matching the career-best 78 wins he posted in 2009.
The world No. 1 is operating a world above the competition, raising his record versus Top 10 opponents to 27-4 this season while playing like a man determined to extend his unbeaten run in London.