Djokovic crushes Nadal to start new year with Doha title

“I will remember this trophy win for one particular reason. It’s everything. If not, it’s not ideal”.

With the first set gone, Nadal had been pushed to the wall, psychologically at least, for his grunts were getting louder and louder with each passing second.

“From the first to last point I managed to impose my own tactical strategy”. Playing to a high level and trading well from the back of the court, Djokovic came from a break down in the second set and actually served for it before Nadal closed out to claim the title.

The Czech put up more resistance in the second set, but Djokovic was the steadier player in the tiebreaker to wrap up his 22nd victory over Berdych in 24 career matches. This is the first time I lead head-to-head (smiles).

“This is exactly how I want to start the year, playing in the finals of the first tournament against one of my biggest rivals and I’m looking forward to that”, Djokovic said.

He posted 30 winners to only nine for Nadal in the 73-minute match.

In game five, Djokovic produced three back-to-back baseline winners to grab a 5-1 lead on the Spaniard’s serve, leaving Nadal seeking answers in what was the 47th clash between the two top seeds. Djokovic is, unfortunately for Nadal, still the man to beat. “I could swing freely”.

“Hopefully I will be able to just as well in Melbourne also”, he said.

This marked Djokovic’s 16th straight final since the Serbian lost in the Qatar Open quarterfinals past year. I do, however, think that Nadal is an improved player and will seriously contend for multiple Grand Slam titles this season. Marchenko, the world number 94, was by no means disgraced in his first ever match against Nadal. After leading at 40-15, Rafa plays a couple of smart moves in a rally and places the ball away from his opponent, changing the pace at times.

“I’m not going to tell you too much, but it was tough in a way”, Federer said of his illness, knowing the Australian Open starts January 18.

Coming to Brisbane, the season-opening event she won in its inaugural year in 2009, Azarenka was unseeded after slipping in the rankings to No. 22 at the end of 2015 following two injury-interrupted seasons. The Ukrainian, who beat fourth-seeded David Ferrer in the first round, defeated seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 7-6 (3). He faced-and saved-only one break point while serving at 70 percent and finishing with six aces and no double-faults.

One and quarter of an hour later, Djokovic was sitting pretty with the title under his belt.