Djokovic registers emphatic victory against Nadal; wins Miami title for the 4th time

Final: Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-3

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Final of the Sony Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 30, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Florida.

The match stats would tell us that Djokovic broke Nadal only thrice, out of which two of them decided the fate of the match, but take nothing away from the fact that it was an absolutely dominating performance from the world no.2 against the Spaniard. Djokovic was flawless from start to finish, and try as Nadal might, he didn’t have any period in the match where he could enforce a momentum shift.

With this victory, Djokovic completes the Indian Wells-Miami double for the second time in his career, joining Federer as the only two players to achieve that feat. Nadal, on the other hand, has never lost any tournament after reaching the final these many times, as he succumbed to a defeat for the fourth time on the center court at Miami.

It was a tense and tight start as expected and the long rallies started in the very first game. At 30-30 the two greats played an extraordinary point and Nadal stepped up and smacked it out of reach to earn a break point. Djokovic withstood the pressure with some big serves, and avoided an early setback to lead 1-0.

Djokovic had mentioned in his pre match interview that he knows Nadal’s game well and he knows he won’t be serving and volleying. Nadal probably wanted to have a say in that as he did the exact same thing to take the first point and followed it up with brilliant tennis to seal a love hold.

At 2-3, it was time for Djokovic to put the pressure on Nadal. He got to 0-30 by creating incredible angles on his returns. Nadal clawed one back but conceded two break points when Djokovic hit an improbable backhand cross-court on the line. He broke immediately, when Nadal fired a backhand long to lead 4-2.

The level of tennis escalated. Nadal pressed Djokovic, but was unlucky with his shot selection as Nole waited for it at the net and put it away. He consolidated the break to lead 5-2.

Djokovic played some superior tennis from there on. He made Nadal run one way and then the other as he put away his huge forehand yet again. Nadal,with his back to the wall, and in danger of conceding a second break at 2-5, 15-30 down, came back with an ace to make Djokovic serve for the set.

Djokovic showed no nerves as he played perfectly to take the first set 6-3. What was impressive was he attacked Nadal’s forehand as much as he did his backhand and he wasn’t perturbed by Nadal’s top spin returns either.

Nadal had to have a good start in the second set to have any chance, but he was down two break points in the opening game after making some uncharacteristic errors. Djokovic was flawless in his returns and Nadal hardly had any time to return his shots, let alone place them. Djokovic broke to lead 1-0.

Nadal stretched Djokovic to deuce on serve in the next game, but even when he was seemingly in control of the points, Djokovic rallied and stayed with him, turning defense into attack. He consolidated the break again and things were starting to slip away from Nadal in a hurry.

Nadal registered his first game of the second set with a good service game. But poor returns cost him as Djokovic managed to hold on easily.

Nadal piled the pressure on himself in his next service game. A double fault didn’t help and even though the crowd was behind him, he was erratic as he was down another break point. A brilliant forehand down the line levelled the scores at deuce and he went on to hold on for 3-2.

For Djokovic, meanwhile, it was business as usual as he raced to a 40-0 lead in the next game and he sealed it with an exquisite backhand winner.

Nadal wasn’t going to give the victory to Djokovic easily, and he held on and pumped himself up. Djokovic responded with a love hold, to knock off any surge of momentum Nadal felt, with two aces included.

Djokovic was apparently in no mood to serve for the match, as he dismantled Nadal’s game yet again, and closed the match with an amazing point at the net to win his fourth Miami title.

There was complete dejection on Nadal’s face as he walked to the net. This was as close to perfection as possible from Djokovic, and Nadal couldn’t outduel him even when he tried his best. Memories of 2011 did come to mind, and Nadal is now on a three match losing streak to Djokovic. He should step up his game for the clay season and reclaim the tournament which has basically been as good as his birthright – Monte Carlo. An interesting season lies ahead.