Super Novak in the money
Peerless Serb closes in on $100m
NOVAK DJOKOVIC is closing in on becoming the first $100million man in tennis after clocking up another Masters series title.
By defeating kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3 in last night’s Miami open final, the world No 1 overtook roger Federer in career prize money by reaching a total of $98.2m.
That feat underlines his staggering consistency over recent seasons.
This was the 28-year- old Serb’s 28th Masters title — another record as he overhauls rafael Nadal’s total — and he looks unstoppable with a playing style that is near impossible to punch a hole in.
He may not be the most startling tennis player ever, but he may be the most complete, with just the matter of a French open title to secure in order to bolster that argument. There are no signs that he plans to let up in that pursuit, with the clay court Monte carlo open beginning in a week’s time.
‘i live in Monte carlo and that’s where i go tomorrow and i will play that tournament,’ said djokovic, whose 714th career win passed the total of his coach Boris Becker.
‘it’s not the ideal schedule in terms of switching surface. i have only a week to get used to the clay courts but i have done it before and won. i’m not feeling tired. i have plenty of energy and motivation for the beginning of the clay court season. Hope- fully i can win more titles and build my form and win in Paris. That is obviously one of the top goals.’
The statistics behind his prizemoney surge are increasingly remarkable. This was the fourth time he has won the spring hard court titles of indian Wells and Miami back to back, and the third time in succession.
He leads the ATP rankings on 16,450 points, further out in front than he has ever been. He has over 1,000 points more than the combined total of his nearest challengers, Andy Murray and Federer.
djokovic has not been beaten in a completed match this year, his one loss coming in dubai where he retired with an eye infection against Spain’s Feliciano lopez. The two players who have pushed him hardest are Frenchman Gilles Simon and kazakh Mikhail kukushkin, who took him to five sets in the Australian open and davis cup first round respectively.
The thought occurs that his dominance is a distinctly mixed blessing for men’s tennis, which is starting to look like a procession.
Nishikori might have wanted a repeat of Friday’s stifling temperatures — still something djokovic can struggle with — but instead he got mild and overcast weather for this wrapping up of the first segment of a troubled tennis season.
The Japanese, who survived five match points in his quarterfinal against Gael Monfils, broke in the first game of the match, an advantage that was immediately wiped out.
djokovic was much more comfortable thereafter than he had been in his semi-final against david Goffin. His return of serve picked up markedly through the match and his backhand was at its most formidable.
Nishikori needed a medical timeout to treat his left knee at 4-3 down in the second set, and did not manage any further games to lose in an hour and 26 minutes.
‘The toughest thing about him is his great defence. it is very difficult to open up a space on the court,’ summarised Nishikori.
After three months the Serb is way out in front as player of the season, while in the female game the most consistent has been victoria Azarenka, winner of the women’s final here on Saturday. With the equal prize-money debate having dominated the first week of the event, it was notable that the stadium was packed yesterday, compared to probably two-thirds full the day before — although there was no local heroine in Serena Williams to cheer.
djokovic afterwards said to the Miami open crowd that he has been told the tournament will remain in its key Biscayne location for the foreseeable future, amid speculation that it could move elsewhere due to planning disputes involving local landowners.