World No. 1 Novak Djokovic outclassed Kei Nishikori 6-3 7-5 to win his 30th ATP 1000 Masters title and his fourth Rogers Cup crown. The Seb's seventh trophy of 2016 will have boosted any confidence dented by a third-round defeat to Sam Querrey in his last outing at Wimbledon.
Djokovic has beaten Nishikori in each of their five meetings this year, dropping just one set, and the Japanese third seed was often his own worst enemy in Toronto on Sunday.
The Serb is once again champion in six of the nine Masters events, having coughed up his Rome Masters crown to Andy Murray earlier this year. The Cincinnati Masters - the only competition at this level to elude Djokovic - will loom into view after the Olympic Games.
Djokovic smelled blood at the first sight of a breakthrough in game six, having hassled Nishikori into netting and sending a crosscourt backhand long. The Japanese was drawn into a baseline battle at 40-15 down and drifted his forehand long to give the top seed the initiative.
A fluffed set point on his opponent's serve did little to dampen Djokovic's red-hot form, but he took the first set on the back of more Nishikori errors as he misread a spooned lob to lose momentum when a point for deuce looked certain before another long forehand ended the first set.
Nishikori looked out of ideas as Djokovic raced to 40-0 against serve at 1-1 in the second set and converted his second break point thanks to another miscue from across the net.
But twinkle-toed, Djokovic-esque defence helped Nishikori break back, a running forehand winner squaring the set in stunning fashion.
However, the Japanese's radar was off crucially in game 11, Djokovic once again doggedly keeping the contest alive to prompt a wide Nishikori backhand.
Nishikori saved two match points, but followed it up with a netted forehand and a return that ballooned off his racquet frame as Djokovic racked up another milestone in his astonishing career.
Comments
SHARE