Djokovic opens Finals bid with win over Ruud; Muguruza edges Kontaveit to reach semis
TURIN: Novak Djokovic began his atempt to equal Roger Federer’s record number of ATP Finals triumphs with a straight-sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 win over Casper Ruud on Monday.
World number one Djokovic is looking to complete a remarkable year with a sixth Finals title ater only just missing out on claiming all four Grand Slams in a single season, and got off to a strong start against eighth seed Ruud, winning in around 90 minutes.
He sits top of the Green Group ahead of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ clash with Andrey Rublev in Monday’s evening session, and is looking to cap a season which he finished the top-ranked player for a record seventh time.
Djokovic atracted wild applause from the Turin crowd when he insisted on speaking in Italian for his on-court interview ater the match, before which he was honoured for once again being the world’s top player.
“It’s a great feeling being back here in Italy... thanks for all your support over these years, Italy is like a second home for me,” Djokovic said.
“It’s one of the most difficult things to do in our sport, to finish number one at the end of the year you have to play really well, consistently and with a lot of success throughout the year on every surface. I’m very proud.”
Norwegian Ruud played creditably and could easily have taken a one-set lead. The 22-year-old came out firing by breaking Djokovic in the very first game, but by game seven the Serb was in front 4-3 and looked well placed to take the first set.
Djokovic arrived at game 10 with his one-game lead intact and the match apparently turning in his favour but Ruud saved two break points to hold his serve and eventually take the set to a tie-break.
Ruud held a 4-3 advantage in the tie-break but Djokovic turned up the pressure by winning four straight games to claim the first set, and from there he raced clear. Djokovic immediately broke Ruud at the start of the second set and from there he strolled to victory, breaking one more time on his way to claiming the second set and the match.
Meanwhile, two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza booked her semi-final spot at the WTA Finals on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Anet Kontaveit that ended the Estonian’s 12-match win streak.
Muguruza’s victory in her final round-robin contest in the eight-woman season finale in Guadalajara denied Karolina Pliskova a place in the knockout phase.
The former world number one Pliskova batled to a gutsy 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova earlier in the day.
Muguruza will face fellow Spaniard Paula Badosa on Tuesday.
“It’s amazing there are four players let and two of them are Spaniards. I mean, that just shows that Spain has a great level of tennis and a great school. It’s going to be a fun match,” Muguruza said.
Kontaveit was already assured of a semi-final berth ater winning her first two matches to stretch a WTA winning streak that included titles at Moscow and Cluj-napoca.
But it was a must-win match for Muguruza ater Pliskova’s aternoon victory, and the Spaniard came out firing, breaking Kontaveit in the opening game.
Muguruza saved the only three break points she faced -- two as she served for the opening set and one more as she served for the match. She exploited Kontaveit’s forehand struggles, taking the first set on two forehand errors from the Estonian.
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second she saved a break point with an her seventh ace and claimed the match ater one hour and 27 minutes with a service winner to finish second in the group behind Kontaveit.
That ended the hopes of Pliskova, who rallied from a set and a break down to beat reigning French Open champion Krejcikova.
Pliskova fired 11 aces but almost undid that good work with 12 double faults.
She saved two break points in the penultimate game of the second set and broke to force the decider, which she won on her third match point.
“I just fought hard to give myself a chance,” Pliskova said,
“Because she didn’t really miss anything the first set. Happy I stayed in there and just waited for the chance.”