By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, November 21, 2015
Novak Djokovic dissected Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 6-3, his eighth win in their last nine meetings, to roll into the final of the ATP World Tour Finals.
Photo credit: Stephen White/CameraSport
Novak Djokovic directed rallies with imposing inevitability until Rafael Nadal finally had the defending champion right where he wanted him—lunging and vulnerable with his back to net.
Exerting the body control of a contortionist, Djokovic dug out a stunning spinning backhand stab volley that left an impressed Nadal applauding.
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Even when the world No. 1 was off-balance, he produced an artistic answer getting even with his archrival.
Striking with punishing precision, Djokovic dissected Nadal, 6-3, 6-3, rolling into his record-extending 15th consecutive final at the ATP World Tour Finals.
Djokovic nearly tripled Nadal's winner total (24 to 9), won 25 of 28 points played on his first serve and did not face break point in the match.
It was Djokovic's eighth victory in his last nine meetings with Nadal as he leveled the most prolific ATP rivalry in Open Era history at 23-23.
The comprehensive victory puts the top-seeded Serbian on the verge of history, too.
The four-time champion will play for a record fourth consecutive World Tour Finals championship when he faces either six-time champion Roger Federer or fourth-seeded Stan Wawrinka in tomorrow's final.
The third-seeded Federer snapped Djokovic's 23-match winning streak with a 7-5, 6-2 win in round-robin play to take a 22-21 lead in their head-to-head series. Djokovic holds a 19-4 career edge over Wawrinka, the man who denied his Grand Slam dream winning the French Open final. Djokovic defeated Wawrinka, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in the Paris Masters semifinal earlier this month. He has dispensed final-set bagels in three of his last five meetings with Wawrinka.
Forgoing any feeling out period in their 46th career clash, the pair traded forehand winners in the first game before Djokovic cranked a forehand drive down the line to hold.
Opening his shoulders, the world No. 1 opened up a swarm of winners. Pounding a forehand return winner down the line to open the game, Djokovic closed it cracking a big backhand crosscourt punctuating a love break with a four-winner spectacle for 2-0.
Controlling the center of the court and hitting his backhand down the line with command, Djokovic diminished Nadal's ability to run around the backhand and hit his favored forehand, extending the lead to 4-1.
Djokovic took the court with a 15-7 hard-court edge over Nadal, primarily because he can take the ball on the rise, owns a more dangerous return game and is a more balanced off forehand and backhand wings. Applying those skills to play the court straight up, Djokovic squeezes the open space his rival has to hit while spreading Nadal laterally with nearly each drive. The world No. 1 had won all three of their prior meetings this season, including ending the King of Clay's Roland Garros reign in Paris and dismissing the 14-time Grand Slam champion, 6-2, 6-2, in the Beijing final.
Confidence from winning seven of his last eight matches with the Spaniard empowered the Serbian with a relaxed aggression. Djokovic knows he has the weapons to force his rival into defensive positions and often executed with ease. Opening and closing the seventh game with aces, Djokovic stamped a love hold for 5-2.
Hitting his spots on serve, Djokovic served 70 percent and won 16 of 19 first-serve points in the 33-minute opener.
Probing for any fracture in Djokovic's defense, Nadal saved a break point with a jarring body serve and forehand winner then showed aggression cupping a fine drop volley holding to start the second set.
Elasticity and exacting shot selection helped Djokovic extract the break. A lob near the line followed by a full stretch forehand stab enabled him to extend the point, Djokovic exterminated it with a pass that danced near Nadal's shoes for double break point. Spreading the court during a 25-shot rally, Djokovic drew the backhand error breaking for 3-2.
That break prompted coach Boris Becker to spring from his seat clapping support. Becker wasn't the only Grand Slam champion applauding Djokovic's effort.
In the eighth game, Djokovic dug out this stunning spinning backhand stab volley, his back turned toward net as the ball cleared the hurdle. That jaw-dropping bit of acrobatics helped him hold for 5-3. See it here.
Another backhand bold down the line gave Djokovic match point. The defending champion drilled a backhand winner crosscourt wrapping up a 79-minute win without facing a break point.