World No.2 destroys Nadal in straight sets in Miami final Djokovic scripts Rafa rout 1ST TITLE IN SEVEN YEARS FOR HINGIS
Key Biscayne (Florida, USA), March 31: Novak Djokovic stretched like a rubber band to hit a backhand. He sprinted into the other corner and scooped out forehands as if he was wielding a shovel. He ran forward to slice a ball off his shoetops. And he flicked a difficult half-volley past a weary Rafael Nadal for a winner.
That was just on the last point.
With superior attack and defense, Djokovic earned his fourth Key Biscayne title, while Nadal failed again trying for his first. Djokovic took charge midway through the first set Sunday and closed out the victory by winning a remarkable exchange to beat Nadal 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the Sony Open.
“This tournament has been perfect from the beginning to the end,” Djokovic said. “The matches that I have played I played really well, and I elevated my game as the tournament progressed. The best performance of the tournament came in the right moment on Sunday, against the biggest rival.”
Nadal fell to 0-4 in finals at Key Biscayne, one of just three ATP Masters 1000 events he has yet to win.
“No frustration. That’s tennis,” he said. “I tried everything. I tried my best. It was not enough. The opponent was just better than me, and when the opponent is better, he’s better.”
As for Djokovic, only six-time champion Andre Agassi has won the men’s event more.
Djokovic erased the only break point he faced, committed just 15
This tournament has been perfect from the beginning to the end. My best performance of the tournament came in the right moment on Sunday, against the biggest rival
unforced errors and won a scrambling, 30-shot rally on the final point with a series of improbable saves. He then dropped his racket, threw up his arms and collapsed on his back as the crowd roared.
He completed a March sweep after beating Roger Federer in the final at
— NOVAK DJOKOVIC After his 6-3, 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal in the final
Indian Wells two weeks ago. Even so, Nadal will remain ranked No.1 and Djokovic No.2.
Nadal and Djokovic have played 40 matches, the most of any men’s pairing in the Open era, and few have been so lopsided as the summit clash at Crandon Park Tennis Centre. — AP Miami, March 31: Martina Hingis shrugged off her 33 years to partner Sabine Lisicki to the Miami WTA doubles title on Sunday in only the pair’s second tournament together.
The Swiss veteran and her German partner downed second seeded Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5.
“It’s very exciting,” Hingis said after winning her first title since 2007.
“When you convert the match point, you’re like, Yes, we did it. I just tried to... Not make the mistakes. So it’s amazing, yeah.”
The wildcard entrants won the last seven points of the deciding super tiebreaker to take the trophy.
Hingis said this victory has motivated her to play more doubles.
“Two weeks ago if you asked me, it probably would be a completely different answer from today,” Hingis said. “Last week, I was like, I’m not sure if I want to put myself out there like this and lose first, second round. Now, after this victory, I would be very happy to continue to play some more doubles.”
After almost six years in retirement, Hingis returned to the doubles tour in 2013, playing five WTA events alongside Daniela Hantuchova.
After the US Open she didn’t play for six months but got back in the game at Indian Wells alongside Lisicki. — AFP The second edition of the Indian Badminton League will be held from September 30 to October 15, the IBL governing council announced here on Monday.
The governing council has decided to allow franchisees to increase the team strength from 11 in the first year to 13 players. Each franchisee can pick two more players — Indian or overseas — which would further intensify the competition.
“Badminton at the 2014 Asian Games gets over on September 29, 2014. Players can directly fly-in from Incheon for the IBL,” said Badminton Association of India president and Indian Badminton League governing council chairman Akhilesh Das Gupta.
“Last year too, the players had reached Delhi directly from China after the World Championships. This period ensures us the opportunity to have the world’s best players.
“Our success last year had made our counterparts in international federations more confident about the league. This year more countries and players are eager to join us.”