TENNIS ATP BEIJING – Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-3 6-4 to extend his winning streak at the China Open to 23 consecutive matches. He will be looking to lift the Trophy in the Chinese capital for the fifth time after 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013. He will be chasing his fifth title of the year after Indian Wells, Miami, Rome and Wimbledon. The Serb will take on Tomas Berdych who cruised past Martin Klizan in the second seminal. Diego Sampaolo
Djokovic his collected his sixth win in his past seven head-to-head matches against Murray. It was the third win this year just one month after beating the Scotsman in a hard-fought quarter final match at the US Open.
Djokovic played better in the key moments of the second set when he saved four of the five break points he faced.
Djokovic converted on four of his five break point chances.
The first set went on serve until 4-3 for Djokovic. In the nine-minute eight game Murray saved the first two break points before Djokovic converted it at the third attempt before taking the first set on the second set point after 43 minutes.
Murray dropped his serve early in the second set to love. Djokovic easily won the next game. Murray broke the losing streak of five consecutive games winning the third game for 1-2. Murray earned two break points but he failed to convert them. In the fifth game he saved a break point at 1-3 30-40.
In the sixth game Djokovic committed three unforced errors and faced two break points. He saved the first two with an ace and a service winner but Murray broke back on the third break point with a backhand return to draw level to 3-3 but Djokovic got the break again in the ninth game for 5-4. The Serb reeled off 12 of the last 13 points to clinch the second set to love after one hour and 36 minutes.
Djokovic won 72 percent of second service points and hit 19 winners to 21 unforced errors compared to 7 winners to 22 unforced errors for Murray.
“I was not just prepared emotionally to go back and compete after Wimbledon and a very exhausting summer after what happened in my professional and private life. I am glad that i ma back that I am back to the form that I would like to be in”, said Djokovic.
In his sixth final of the year Djokovic will face Tomas Berdych who beat Martin Klizan in straight sets with 6-4 6-1. Klizan, who upset Rafa Nadal in the quarter final yesterday, kept pace with Berdych until the eighth game when the Czech player reeled off eight of the last nine game to pull away to 6-4 6-1 in one hour and 21 minutes. In the first set five games went to deuce. Klizan saved three break points in the second game and one in the eighth game. Berdych saved the only break point he faced in the match in the seventh game. The first set was decided in the tenth game when Berdych saved three game points before getting the crucial break.
In the second set Berdych reeled off five consecutive games from 1-1 dropping just three points on his serve. Berdych committed a double fault on the first match point but he closed out the match with a service winner.
Berdych hit 24 winners to 17 unforced errors.
Berdych is currently ranked seventh just 25 points ahead of Raonic in a very close ATP Race to London
Djokovic won 15 of his 17 head-to-head matches against Berdych. The Czech player took his last win over Djokovic in the quarter finals in Rome last year. Berdych will be bidding to win his second China Open title three years after his triumph against Marin Cilic. This year he won one title in Rotterdam against Cilic and reached the final in Dubai and Oeiras
