By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, January 5, 2019
Roberto Bautista Agut backed up his upset of top-ranked Novak Djokovic defeating Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the Doha final to become the third Spaniard to rule the Qatar Exxon Mobil Open.
Photo credit: Qatar Tennis Facebook
Raising the gold falcon trophy as fireworks lit up the night sky, Roberto Bautista Agut stuck a brilliant landing in the desert.
An exacting Bautista Agut backed up his upset of top-ranked Novak Djokovic yesterday defeating Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the Doha final.
Watch: Bautista Agut Stuns Djokovic
The 30-year-old Bautista Agut claimed his ninth career title joining Rafael Nadal (2014) and David Ferrer (2015) as the third Spaniard to rule Doha.
The one hour, 55-minute victory was Bautista Agut's first win over Berdych since the 2014 Indian Wells and capped an exceptional title flight.
The seventh-seeded Spaniard knocked off three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, 14-time major champion Djokovic and Berdych with grit, sound point construction and a flair for the flat strike down on the line at crunch time.
Instead of coming down from the huge high of stunning Djokovic, Bautista kept flying.
"It's been a fantastic week for me," Bautista Agut said. "Today was not easy to manage all the emotions I had yesterday on court. Well, I'm so happy."
Sharp serving under pressure and quicker movement around the court were keys for Bautista Agut, who served 70 percent, saved five of six break points and out-aced the Czech (five to three), including slashing aces down the stretch.
Though his bid to become the oldest champion in tournament history was denied, the 33-year-old Czech confirmed his return from a back injury that sidelined him for the last five months of 2018 and confirmed the faith the tournament showed awarding him a wild card.
In the final set, Berdych blinked gifting the break in the fourth game and though he earned a pair of break points he couldn't close the gap.
"It's been an incredible week," Berdych said. "In those six months, it's been very long but the time passed very fast. I'm here for the first week of the season (and happy) I could manage to go all the way to the final. Today, Roberto was too good. But, you know, I'm happy with the week."
Efficiency is a beauty of Bautista Agut's game.
He takes short, precise steps to create the right space between his body and the ball, maneuvers out of the corners effortlessly and can abbreviate his backswings to handle the pace of big hitters.
Serving in the ninth game, the 2010 Wimbledon finalist fought off three set points then ladled a slick forehand drop volley to hold for 4-5 after 37 minutes of play.
Undaunted by lost opportunity, Bautista Agut converted his fourth set point closing the 41-minute opener on the strength of 13 winners compared to 10 for his opponent.
Beaten in wide running rallies, Berdych shortened up points in the second set. Blocking a forehand volley, Berdych broke for 3-1 and made that break stand.
The world No. 71 ripped a forehand winner to force a final set.
Ninety minutes into the match, Berdych blew up.
Tightening up in a horrid two double-fault game, the Czech slapped a backhand into the middle of the net gifting the break and a 3-1 lead to an unyielding opponent.
Throughout the match, Berdych played his best stepping into the court.
An eye-popping stab volley and churning drive down the line brought the big man to deuce in the fifth game.
Every time he was tested, the Spaniard had the decisive answer.
Carving out a fine running forehand, Bautista Agut banged his third ace out wide extending to 4-1.
Dashing up for a drop shot, Bautista Agut stayed low and applied enough top spin to bump a backhand pass over the high part of the net for triple break point.
On the third break point, the Spaniard was at the service line with a clean pass lined up when his slice died in the tape. That lapse helped Berdych survive, capping the game with a floating forehand volley for 2-4.
New life after near competitive death empowered Berdych to unload with one final flurry.
The big man rocketed a whistling forehand into the corner for double break point. On the second break point, Berdych got the mid-court forehand he sought but slapped it off the tape.
Fast hands helped Bautista Agut fend off another biting return as the Spaniard stood strong saving a pair of break points for 5-2.
Bautista Agut banged a forehand winner to seal his third title in the last 13 months. He conjured magic against Djokovic and closed the show with conviction against Berdych.