Cincinnati Masters Tennis Final: Novak Djokovic retires midway in a huge anticlimax

Super comeback this week … Deserving 7th Masters title

Andy Murray won his 2nd Masters title at Cincinnati and his 7th Masters title overall by defeating an injured Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-0. Murray thus becomes only the 2nd player after Roger Federer to defeat Novak in 2011.

This was sort of an anti-climax to a highly expected final between the 2 Turks of the current generation. Novak was on a real roll all year long and Murray was getting into his groove this week. But, fears of some injury scare were evident earlier this week in Novak’s win over Monfils and he was also helped to a certain extent by Berdych’s retirement in the semifinals. Those fears came true today, unfortunately

Novak had to lose his 2nd match of the season and he was denied a 10th title this season. He also could not pull off a Masters double (after last week’s Montreal title) for the 3rd time this season following his wins at Indian Wells and Miami and then in Rome and Madrid.

This win will no doubt be valuable for Murray since this has given him another Masters title to his collection. But it will be bitter sweet. Murray would have wanted to win over a fully fit Djokovic to prove to his detractors that he too belongs to the very top. Nevertheless a win is a win and Djokovic needs to recover fully before next week’s US Open where he will be the overwhelming favorite to snatch Rafa’s title.

Coming back to the Cincinnati Masters, Murray didn’t lose a single set this week and he started off the final by breaking Novak. But he lost that advantage before starting a streak of 6 out of the next 7 games to humble the injury marred Novak. He was able to serve only at around the 90mph mark and he was broken 4 times.

Novak threw in the towel after a failed injury time-out that didn’t do much help to him as he didn’t want to aggravate his serving arm even more. After all, an US Open title is there for his taking. He could definitely afford losing his first hard-court match this season. Novak will have many more chances to lift the Western and Southern Open title at Cincinnati as the surface isn’t much different from the other hard-courts where he is the reigning king this season.

Well placed to repeat his US Open 2008 showing … and … one step better hopefully

This was Murray’s 2nd title of the season following his win in the pre-Wimbledon final warm-up event at Queens Club in London. This win comes at a similar time before the US Open. Hope he does better than losing in the semifinals like he did at Wimbledon this year.

Murray has now bridged the gap to 4-6 in his career head to head with Djokovic. But his real tests will come in the Slams where he is yet to make that mental switch from contender to champion. He will be a big favorite to reach the finals at the US Open. But beyond that, it is Murray’s mind that has to decide, for every player knows in his heart that Murray deserves to win multiple Slams.

With Rafa and Roger approaching serious career crises and Novak feeling like a human for the first time in the entire season, Murray might just pull it off. But as I said, Murray’s mental faculties hold the key … Wish he steps it up in style at Flushing Meadows and wins his maiden Slam

Go ANDY!!!