Djokovic Fights Back To Reach Doha Finals

January 6, 2017 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff

Novak Djokovic saved five match points on Friday, fighting back from a set down to beat Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3 and reach the ExxonMobil Open final in Doha, Qatar.

“I would like to say tough luck for Fernando, he was clearly the better player for the bigger part of the match and he should have won,” said Djokovic afterwards. “It was just unfortunate. It’s definitely one of the most exciting matches I’ve played. I don’t think I’ve saved five match points too many times.”

Verdasco was in control of this match from the onset, winning two break points in the opening set and hanging in with the world number two in the second set as it headed into a tiebreaker.

In the breaker, Verdasco had four match points but errors and mistakes cost him a chance to close out the match, and Djokovic capitalized to force the match into a deciding third set.

Djokovic turned up his level in the third, converting on both of his break point chances and didn’t face a single break point on his own serve to complete the comeback.

In the final, Djokovic will play world number one Andy Murray, who dismissed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-4 in the day's second semifinal. 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
USTA NTC

January/February 2024 Digital Edition