Novak Djokovic wins Serbia Open title

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)—Novak Djokovic defeated Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Sunday to win the Serbia Open for his fifth title and 27th straight victory this season.

The Australian Open champion was not always at his best in a match often played in rain and had six double faults.

“You people make it worth it to come back to this city and play and hope for the victories,” said Djokovic, who led Serbia’s Davis Cup team to its first title last year.

Lopez failed to take advantage of seven break points during the match. He had the first two early in the first set at 2-2, sending the ball into the net then allowing Djokovic to win the game with an ace and a deep forehand into the corner.

Lopez had another chance to break in the first set at 4-4 before Djokovic comfortably won the tiebreaker.

“I had a dream last night that I will be a hero and the first to beat him this year, but I realized it was very hard,” Lopez said.

At 1-1 in the second set, Djokovic fell face down after chasing a forehand by Lopez but was not hurt. Lopez had a chance to break at 3-2 in the second but sent the ball into the net.

Is anyone following the match between Djokovic and Lopez? Feliciano is playing like a man possessed. Maybe he knows that is the only way he could keep up with Novak, who better watch his serve or his double-faults will come back and bite him in his gluten-free hindside. Surprisingly close, though I expect Novak to run off with this title. Often, the underdog/challenger comes out swinging at everything and occasionally some hit the lines. Don't know how long Feliciano can keep doing what he is.

Nadal was visibly upset when he watched a video screen showing highlights of Ballesteros’ career, as was former tennis great Manolo Santana, who watched from the stands. The 54-year-old Ballesteros died early Saturday of brain cancer.

“It’s a sad day for Spain, for all athletes,” said Nadal, who played golf with Ballesteros. “This win is much too small to dedicate to Seve—he’s one of the greatest players in the history of our sport.”

It was the first time Nadal and Federer had met two straight times not in a final, and Nadal appeared on course for another quick win—as in Miami—when Federer was broken to trail 3-0.

But Nadal lost his rhythm and hit the ball into the net to allow Federer back in, and the 2009 champion smashed a forehand at the net for a break in the 12th game on his way to a first-set lead.

The winner of the first set had taken the previous 12 meetings between these rivals.

But Nadal broke Federer immediately in the second set, and the Swiss star never seemed to recover from a disputed call that TV replays showed touched the sideline.

Nadal rode that momentum into the final set and went ahead 4-1 when Federer hit wide to be broken.

Federer emerged from a 20-shot rally with a break chance in the second-to-last game but sent his backhand into the net. Nadal clinched it when Federer hit his 45th unforced error into the net.

“Playing Federer always provides a special satisfaction as we have played so many important matches,” said Nadal, who improved to 16-8 overall against Federer. “It was a difficult game, not one of our best games for either of us.”

Bellucci’s booming forehand forced Djokovic into 19 unforced errors in the first set, the Serb often scrambling to get the ball back while deep behind the baseline.

Djokovic watched a triple break point disappear when his 36th-ranked opponent won 10 straight points and broke to lead 3-1. But the Serb broke back and tied the second set at 3-3 before smashing a forehand at the net for a second break, the set and a big boost.

Djokovic fired a crosscourt forehand to break Bellucci for 2-0 and was flying after that as he closed it out with his sixth ace.

how is he in Madrid Open?