Djokovic puts US disqualification behind him with Italian triumph
● World No 1 finds his top form ‘when most needed’ to see off Schwartzman
Fifteen days after he was disqualified from the US Open, Novak Djokovic had plenty to celebrate last night.
Djokovicb eat Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-3 to win his fifth Italian Open title, re-asserting his dominance before the French Open starts in six days’ time.
Victory meant the world No 1 passed Ra fa el N ad al’ s AT P Masters 1000 titles record. Djokovic now holds 36 titles to Nadal’s 35
“I don’t think I played my best tennis throughout the entire week but I think I found my best tennis when I needed it the most, in the decisive moments today, yesterday, practically every match,”Djoko vic said.
“That makes me very satisfied and I’ mproudt hat Im anaged to find that fifth gear when it was most needed.”
Djokovic improved his winning ratio to 31-1 this year – with his only defeat against Pablo Car reno Bus taint he fourth round of the US Open. That, of course, was when Djokovic unintentionally hit a line judge in the throat with a ball in a fit of anger, resulting in him being thrown out of the tournament.
During the trophy ceremony, Djokovic thanked his coaches and staff. “In good and bad times you are here for me guys,” he said. “Thank you very much.”
Against Schwartzman, who was playing his first Masters 1000 final, Djokovic recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the opening set and eventually wore down the steady Argentine to finish off the match in just under two hours–and just before it began raining.
Schwartz man had beaten nine -time Rome champion R afael Nadal in the quarter-finals, then edged Denis Shap ovalov in a long three - setter in the semis. No player has beaten Nadal and Djokovic in the same tournament since 2016 when Juan Martin d el Pot ro achieved the feat in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
In the women’ s final, topseeded Simon aH alepw on her first Rome title when 2019 champion Karolina Pliskova retired midway through their match with a left thigh injury.
Halep was leading 6 - 0, 2-1 when Pliskova stopped playing after just 31 minutes.
Earlier,Pliskov ah ad her lower back treated by a trainer after Halep won the first set. Pliskova also had her left thigh taped during the match.
“Disappointed for me not to finish today,” Pliskova said during the trophyce re mony. “But Simo, obviously too strong. I always have to be 100 per cent to play a good match against you.
“Congratulations for the whole week. I think you deserve the title.”
Halepw is hedPlisk ova a speedy recovery entering Roland Garros. She then added with a laugh, “Probably we will meet again there in the final.”
●Former finalist A nd rey Rublev b egan his Hamburg European Open campaign by defeating American qualifier Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 6-3 yesterday.
Rublev, who lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili in last year's final, next faces another American qualifier, Tommy Paul.