Novak Djokovic successfully defended his Dubai Championships title today, beating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a rain-delayed final.
Leading 7-5, 2-0 before rain suspended play yesterday, the second-seeded Serb won his 17th career title in a match lasting 3 hours, 21 minutes at the Aviation Club.
There were seven breaks of serve in today's 19 games. Roger Federer is the only other player to win the Dubai title in successive years, winning three straight from 2003-05.
Djokovic was erratic on serve, winning 71 per cent of points on first serve while also making 12 double faults.
"Honestly, I did not have the best tournament," Djokovic said. "I struggled for the most part and the only day I felt comfortable was yesterday, leading the first set and 2-0 when the rain came in. And when I came out today, I struggled again and Mikhail started playing really well."
Djokovic led 3-0 in the third set but Youzhny won the next three games and had two break-point chances to lead 4-3.
"I thought the key point was keeping my serve when we were 3-3 in the third set," Djokovic said.
Youzhny agreed that the seventh game was the turning point of the match.
"If I won that game, nobody knows how the match would have finished," he said.
Youzhny rallied from 2-0 down in the second set, taking it into a decider after breaking in the ninth and 11th games.
"Before the tournament, if you say you'll play the final you say it is a good result," Youzhny said. "But now, straight after the final, when you have some chances, you do get disappointed."
* AP
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Points to remember
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ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
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Results
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