Djokovic Breaks Federer-Nadal Stranglehold for ATP Montreal TitlePosted on August 13, 2007 The run of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominating men's tennis has seemingly come to an end as Serb Novak Djokovic capped a stunning title run Sunday at the Masters Series-Canada with wins over both the world's Top 2.
In the final Djokovic topped Federer 7-6(2), 2-6, 7-6(2) for his fourth title of the year, and second Masters Series crown after Miami where he also beat Nadal en route to the championship. Djokovic topped Nadal in the Saturday semifinals. "He's an up and coming youngster who is improving almost by the day," said Federer, who last year commented he was initially unimpressed with Djokovic's game, but that has changed. "He's been able to back it up for basically a year now. If he keeps this up, he's going to create some chances at the Grand Slams because he's been to two semifinals already. This might be a breakthrough tournament for him." Federer floundered in un-Federer ways during the final, failing to serve out the first set at 6-5, 40-0, dropping six set points in all. The Swiss won four straight games in the second from 2-2 to clinch the set, then dropped his opening serve in the third. Federer broke back for 4-4, eventually sending the decider into a tiebreak where the Serb ran away with it. "I can't describe the feeling I have right now," Djokovic said. "It's like a dream come true. Especially against Federer in the final, to win those tiebreaks was incredible. I managed to win these tiebreaks against a player who probably has the best record in tiebreaks, who is the strongest player mentally in the world right now." Djokovic also beat No. 3 Andy Roddick en route, and became the first player since Boris Becker at Stockholm in 1994 to defeat the Top 3 players on the ATP Rankings at the same tournament. Federer fell to 4-3 in finals this year, losing to Nadal at Monte Carlo and the French Open. |
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