By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 14, 2018
Novak Djokovic dismissed Borna Coric, 6-3, 6-4, claiming his record fourth Rolex Shanghai Masters crown and extending his winning streak to an ATP-best 18 matches.
Photo credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters
Fluent in five languages, Novak Djokovic is aiming to master a few words of Chinese each day.
Loss is not part of his vocabulary.
Watch: Top 5 Tennis Impressions
A dominant Djokovic dismissed Borna Coric, 6-3, 6-4, claiming his record fourth Rolex Shanghai Masters crown and extending his winning streak to an ATP-best 18 matches.
It is Djokovic's 11th career title on Chinese soil in as many finals and capped a week where he elevated his game to stratospheric levels punishing two of tennis' most talented young players—Alexander Zverev and Coric—in declarative statement wins.
"He was just on a whole other level today," Coric said afterward. "Novak, I think you're one of the best in the history of tennis so well done."
An authoritative Asian serving performance saw Djokovic capture his 32nd Masters championship without surrendering serve.
The streaking Serbian joins Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev as the third man to win a Masters title without dropping serve, and now stands one title behind world No. 1 Rafael Nadal on the all-time Masters championship list.
Continuing rocketing up the rankings, Djokovic will supplant Federer as the world No. 2 when the new rankings are released tomorrow, putting him back in the Top 2 for the first time since June 11th, 2017.
Seven months ago, Djokovic was tinkering with both his racquet weight and serve motion after undergoing elbow surgery.
Today, he cruised through a commanding serving performance whipping seven aces, winning 29 of 32 first-serve points and denying the only break point he faced in the second set. Djokovic needed just 95 minutes to collect his 72nd career title.
Djokovic saved all four break points he faced in the tournament powering to his fourth title of the season and moving to within 35 points of No. 1 Nadal in the ATP Race to London.
"The last four months have been tremendous, have been fantastic," Djokovic said. "And I'm very grateful to make so many great results all over the world. I'm cherishing every moment."
Djokovic won the toss, elected to serve and provided a prelude of serving prowess to come pumping an ace to close the opening game.
Dipping low slices at the Croatian's forehand wing, Djokovic drew a pair of netted forehands to go up love-30 in the sixth game. The Masters final débutante drew back to deuce, but Djokovic's unrelenting drives and fast feet helped him carve out the first break. Coric missed his trademark two-hander twice in a row as Djokovic earned the first break for 4-2 at the 24-minute mark.
Confidence in control was evident as Djokovic changed direction effectively and moved forward navigating a deuce hold to consolidate. On the ensuing changeover, Coric called for the trainer to remove the taping wrapping his right thigh and went back to work.
Grunting more forcefully, the 13th seed held in the eighth game.
Swarming court coverage from the three-time champion was suffocating. Djokovic skimmed the tape with a slice backhand, drew the short ball and drove a forehand down the line for triple set point.
When Coric sprayed a backhand, Djokovic was one set from the title after 38 minutes.
The 21-year-old Croatian had his right thigh re-taped before the start of the second set, but unraveled.
Facing break point, Coric surprised his opponent with a serve-and-volley, drew the high ball he wanted, but badly bungled a routine forehand volley gifting the break to open the second set.
Coric called his commanding 6-4, 6-4, sweep of defending champion Roger Federer yesterday "one of the best matches of my whole life."
Serving sharply to set up his first-strike effectively, Djokovic made Coric's life misery on return. The second seed backed up the break at 15 for 2-0.
Credit Coric for intense tenacity fighting off four break points grinding through a grueling 12-and-a-half minute hold to deny Djokovic the double break in the third game. On this day, that's the type of effort it took to hold against a dynamic Djokovic.
The second-seeded Serbian slashed through a love hold for 3-1.
Serving in the sixth game, Djokovic dazzled with a stretching flick forehand drop volley then cupped his hand to his ear exhorting fans to make more noise. Facing break point for just the fourth time in the tournament, Djokovic drew a wild forehand then tamed the turbulence to hold.
Throughout this drive to an 11th title on Chinese soil, Djokovic stretched leads decisively.
Apart from the one break point, Djokovic didn't give Coric a sniff of his serve today. He permitted just nine points on serve.
Eighty-eight minutes into the final, Djokovic gained triple championship point. Coric gamely saved the first two, including an inside-out forehand to deny the second, then tossed up a desperate lob on the third. Djokovic flubbed a smash off the top of the frame as the Croatian saved a third championship point.
A netted backhand gave Djokovic a fourth championship point and when Coric sent a backhand long, Djokovic was Shanghai ruler again, following his title triumphs in 2012-13 and 2015.
In August, Djokovic dismissed seven-time champion Federer in the Cincinnati final capping the Golden Masters and making history as the only man to win all nine Masters championships.
Now standing one spot behind Nadal in both the rankings and Masters title race, Djokovic is playing like a man determined to have the final word in the rankings race.