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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 7 January 2017
Defending champ Djokovic to face top-ranked Murray in final

SANDRA HARWITT physical battles, long ral- the third set to finally take
Associated Press lies, entertaining matches,” control. Djokovic, who only
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — De- said the second-ranked had one unforced error
fending champion No- Djokovic, who beat Murray in the final set, sealed the
vak Djokovic survived in last year’s French Open match by breaking Ver-
five match points to beat final. dasco’s serve.
Fernando Verdasco and “Between one and two “It’s tough to lose against
set up a final against top- in the world, it’s a perfect someone so important like
ranked Andy Murray, who matchup.” Novak having the match
had far less trouble winning But Djokovic acknowl- so close,” Verdasco said.
his semifinal as he record- edged that Verdasco “It’s hard to lose after how
ed a seventh straight victo- could rightly have been well I played and how
ry against Tomas Berdych. the one facing Murray on close I was.”
On another day of chilly Saturday. Verdasco initially trailed
and windy weather Fri- Of the five match points 4-2 in the first set, but then
day, Djokovic prevailed Verdasco held from 6-2 in broke Djokovic at love
4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3 after the the second-set tiebreaker, in the seventh and ninth
42nd-ranked Verdasco, four evaporated on the games to take the set.
a crafty left-hander and Spaniard’s own mistakes. Verdasco last played
former top-10 player, con- “I would like to say tough Djokovic in the second
trolled the first two sets until In this file photo dated Sunday, July 10, 2016, Andy Murray of luck for Fernando, round of last year’s Qatar
the latter stages of the tie- Britain holds the trophy after beating Milos Raonic of Canada in he was clearly the better Open, where his loss was his
the men’s singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in
breaker. London. Murray is to receive an OBE for services to tennis and player for the bigger part of 11th consecutive against a
Murray had no such trou- charity, in the Queen’s 2017 New Year honors. the match and he should world No. 1 player.
ble as he advanced 6-3, Associated Press have won,” Djokovic said Djokovic leads their head-
6-4 against the third-seed- on court. “I don’t think I’ve to-head 9-4.
ed Czech. Novak to look forward to,” meetings — including in the saved five match points Murray, meanwhile, is the
Murray’s winning streak is Murray said on court. “This final of last year’s season- too many times.” only player to reach four
now at 28 matches and has been the perfect week ending ATP Finals — but the The second-seeded finals in the 25-year history
the British player had 10 to get ready for the Austra- Serb holds a dominant 24- Djokovic, who didn’t lose of the Qatar Open — losing
aces and 22 winners in a lian Open.” 11 career record against a set en route to the semi- the 2007 final and winning
convincing performance. Murray has beaten Djokov- Murray. finals, broke Verdasco’s the next two years.q
“It’s a great match against ic in two of their last three “We have always very serve in the third game of
Raonic winner over No. 4 Dominic

Continued from Page 17 Thiem — in the semifinals.
U.S. Open champion Stan
As well as the big, deep Wawrinka and third-seed-
service returns, Raonic ed Kei Nishikori will meet in
also repeatedly went to the other semifinal match.
the net, trusting his instincts The second-seeded
and putting pressure on Wawrinka beat unseeded
Nadal. Kyle Edmund 6-7 (2), 6-4,
“Today the mentality be- 6-4 to reach the semifinals
hind the match was what in his first trip to the Brisbane
sort of kept me around,” tournament.
Raonic said. “Some mo- In the previous three years,
ments things weren’t look- Wawrinka won the title in
ing great. I wasn’t efficient Chennai in the first week of
coming forward. I was miss- the season before heading
ing some shots I shouldn’t to Australia for the season’s
be. I was rushing. first major. Wawrkina has a
“But at least I kept myself 4-3 lead over Nishikori in
there, and I was able to al- career head-to-heads, in-
ways recuperate the next cluding the semifinals at
point. That’s what I have to the U.S. Open last year,
be most proud of.” but Nishikori won two of
Nadal, coming back from the three meetings in 2016.
a layoff after an injured Nishikori has now reached
left wrist curtailed the end the semifinals four times in
of his 2016 season, beat Milos Raonic of Canada plays a shot in his quarterfinal match against Rafael Nadal of Spain at the seven visits to the Brisbane
Raonic in an exhibition Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. International, needing just
tournament last week. But Associated Press an hour for a 6-1, 6-1 quar-
Raonic played with more terfinal win over Australian
intensity in Brisbane, and we will be here one hour the exhibition tournament, a surprising first-round exit wild-card entry Jordan
Nadal said a couple of before with a victory,” two wins and a close result last year. Thompson.
lapses were costly. Nadal said. “That passing in Brisbane gave him con- Still in contention to start “I think I played one of the
“Probably if I put that pass- shot was long, and that’s it. fidence his progress was back-to-back seasons with best matches so far, really
ing shot forehand cross, I Then he had the break and good ahead of the Austra- a Brisbane title, Raonic will dominating from the base-
had the break in the sec- match changes.” lian Open, where he is des- play seventh-seeded Grig- line and serving good to-
ond set, big chance that Nadal said three wins at perate to make amends for or Dimitrov — a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 day,” Nishikori said. q