Djokovic all class in win over Isner
LONDON: The last time Novak Djokovic played at the O2 Arena he suffered a chastening defeat at the hands of home hero Andy Murray which confirmed the end of his dominance at the top of the men’s game.
His return to the ATP Finals yesterday, after missing 2017 because of an elbow injury, offered conclusive proof the Serb is once again top dog.
The elasticlimbed 31yearold, bidding to equal Roger Federer’s record of six titles at the ATP’s blueriband event, produced an immaculate display to tame American giant John Isner, who was making his tournament debut, 64 63.
Already guaranteed to end the year as world No 1 after winning Wimbledon and the US Open, Djokovic is a massive favourite to complete an incredible resurgence from world No 22 in June with another title in London’s docklands.
He will now set his sights on Germany’s Alexander Zverev in his second roundrobin match after the exciting 21yearold beat Croatia’s Marin Cilic 76 (5), 76 (1) to open his account in the Gustavo Kuerten group earlier in the day.
Isner, at 33 the oldest firsttimer at the eightman seasonender since Andres Gimeno made his debut aged 35 in 1972, was not overawed but never managed to lay a glove on Djokovic in the 73minute contest.
Djokovic lost only four points on his own serve in the first set but what most worried Isner was the way his opponent managed to read his towering delivery, pinging back returns to the baseline with monotonous regularity.
‘‘He’s the best returner I’ve ever faced, for sure,’’ Isner said. ‘‘Sometimes you got to hope he’s a bit off. Unfortunately, I don’t think that was the case tonight.’’
Having failed to convert break points in Isner’s opening two service games, Djokovic made no mistake when another chance came along, belting a forehand return for a 42 lead.
Isner saved a set point when serving at 35 and banged down three consecutive aces to stay in the set but Djokovic calmly held to seize the opener.
The writing was on the wall for Isner when Djokovic broke serve at 33 in the second set — the Serb roaring his approval. Two games later Djokovic sealed victory with a crosscourt backhand winner.
While the O2 Arena has been a happy hunting ground for Djokovic, with four of his five ATP Finals titles arriving there, the same cannot be said of fourtime qualifier Cilic.
The Croat’s defeat by Zverev — a repeat of his loss to the German 12 months ago — means he is 19 for the tournament.
Cilic allowed a first set he initially dominated to slip from his grasp.
He had points for a 40 and 51 lead but allowed world No 5 Zverev to hit back and win the opening set on a tiebreaker, sealing it with a sublime backhand pass.
Breaks of serve were exchanged in the second set before Cilic was required to save a match point at 45.
A second tiebreak arrived and, just as in the day’s first shootout, Zverev jumped into a lead against an edgy Cilic who doublefaulted at 14.
Zverev nailed a backhand winner down the line to earn five more match points and converted the first with a powerful first serve that Cilic fenced into the net.
‘‘I was just trying to get myself going, trying to get the energy up. It worked out,’’ Zverev, who vented his anger in the direction of coach Ivan Lendl in the early stages, said.
His task now will be to avoid last year’s letdown when, after beating Cilic on his debut match, he then lost to Roger Federer and Jack Sock to miss out on the semifinals. — Reuters