Novak Djokovic: I’m Not Invincible, Nobody Is Invincible

1 Rafael Nadal will meet current #1 Novak Djokovic in the finals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open tonight, the 9 of January, with both the Spaniard and the Serb attempting to go ahead of the other in their head-to-head record as they play each other for the 47 time.

The last time Djokovic had won a set 6-1 against Nadal was back in 2009 in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals. “For sure it’s important for my confidence, confirming that the end of the 2015 season had been something realistic and (in) the beginning of 2016 I (am) still playing well”.

Utterly dominant, the world No. 1 summoned three break points on Nadal’s opening service game yet, after squandering the first two, prompted the Spaniard into an awry forehand to break.

The Qatar Open final was also the 99th of Nadal’s career and Djokovic’s 16th consecutive ATP final.

Wawrinka, the two-time defending champion who won his first title here in 2011 after finishing runner-up in 2010, dominated the 65-minute match against third-seeded Paire with his strong serve, and saved his lone break point in the second set. It has to be an encouraging sign for Nadal that he hasn’t suffered a loss against a player who is of a lesser caliber than he.

“You can work on those things”.

Djokovic and Nadal have been facing off for years, though last night appeared to be one of the Serbian’s clearest victories against the Spanish athlete.

Nadal made just 13 unforced errors but was bullied off the court by an inspired opponent who gave him perhaps the most uncomfortable 73 minutes he has faced on court.

Thiem beat third-seeded Marin Cilic 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 and later said he was hoping to play Federer.

If there is one doubt he takes from Doha though is that he has a niggling arm injury, which he admits he has received treatment for, but downplayed its importance on Saturday.

He draws level with Andre Agassi in a tie for ninth.

“I don’t think it’s a major concern”.

Despite that, he maintains he can do well in Melbourne, where he has won once, in 2009, beating Federer in the final.

Berdych had a chance to go up a double-break but squandered two break points and it seemed to throw the Czech off as he was broken in game six and Djokovic ran away with the set. Another rally in the fifth game resulted in another break in favour of Djokovic and he was already 4-1 up. “I am here to fight again and I am going go keep working so hard to be ready for Australia and the rest of the season”.