Djokovic defies death to defeat Murray for the Shanghai title

It was difficult to tell whether the men in the middle were wielding gut strung rackets, for they felt like heavy swords from an ancient gladiatorial battle. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray sprang a mighty surprise on the unsuspecting weekend crowd that came in picnic attire to fill up the imposing Qizhong tennis centre to the rafters, when they turned out in battle fatigues to fight like beastly warriors with the ferocity normally associated with men squabbling for territorial supremacy. At the end of a bruising three and a half hour battle for honours, Djokovic came back from the brink to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a 5-7, 7-6(13-11), 6-3 Houdini act that will fuel his campaign to take back the world No.1 ranking.

It was an intense battle from the moment the two players teed off inside the packed Qizhong arena. There was hardly anything separating the two men, meeting for a sixth time this year. In a preview of what lay in store for the evening, the duel got off to a blistering start with Djokovic forced to stave off deuce before holding serve in the first game. After an equally gripping duel in the second game, Murray though sprayed his backhand long to allow Djokovic jump to an early 2-0 lead.

That proved just an appetizer, as the two fought tooth and nail trading breaks with the frequency normally associated with the women’s tour. There would be six breaks of serve in the first eight games as the players drew even at 4-4. Murray made the decisive break in the eleventh game when Djokovic floundered twice in quick succession at the net. A big wide serve helped Murray to set points and even though Djokovic saved the first with an emphatic backhand down the line winner the set ended when he flailed a forehand cross court long on the next point.

The second set proved a more civil affair with both players holding serve to stay even at 3-3. It was Murray this time that made the first move, when Djokovic offered an opening by sending a backhand long at 30-30 in the seventh game. An extended rally resulted in a break of serve when Djokovic failed to keep his forehand in play. If it appeared a formality for Murray to close out the deal, that turned out just to be a smoke screen. What unfolded from there was a period of intense seat edge thrill-a-minute drama that had the crowd swinging between joy and despair depending on which camp they identified with.

Murray was within two points of his third straight title in Shanghai, on his serve in the tenth game. As he has done so many times in the recent past, Djokovic found the dose of inspiration he so needed to stay alive in the contest. Winning a point after being on the defensive and having to run down the ball from in between his legs helped the Serbian ignite his sense. But after drawing level at 30-30, Djokovic swung his backhand into the bottom of the net to offer championship point to the Scot.

In no mood to pack his bags, the world No.2 ripped a searing forehand into the deuce court of Murray to claw back to deuce. The Serb then hustled Murray along the baseline before clinching his first break point of the second set. Under pressure Murray pulled a forehand crosscourt wide to allow Djokovic back into the contest. Believing there might yet be one more set of gladiatorial tennis, the crowd let out a collective roar of delight that almost brought the house down.

Murray’s reliance on his ability to conjure incredible return winners has been on show this week and another amazing return at 4-4 in the tie-breaker helped him to within two points of the title yet again. When Murray pocketed the next point to set up another match point at 6-4, it seemed all but over.

But Djokovic has been a brute under pressure and a perfectly struck inside out forehand helped him save a second match point. Djokovic won the next two points on his serve to save a third match point and earn his first set point of the evening. Murray proved equal to the test and the insanely competitive tie-breaker reached 10-10 when Djokovic saved a fifth match point, despite being on the defensive on a second serve. Inevitably, the match slipped into a third set when Djokovic put away a forehand volley with characteristic power to draw even on his third set point.

After a brief lull to recover their breath and allow the crowd to return to their senses, the match returned to its intense best when Djokovic threw the kitchen sink at Murray in an effort to pinch a break in the fifth game. Murray though stood firm, holding off a stiff challenge to hold serve and keep his nose in front at 3-2 in the decisive third set.

But the assault was relentless and Murray yielded ground when he dumped an easy forehand in the net to offer the break of serve in the seventh game, after falling behind 15-40. Yet again, Murray brought his best returns to bear in the eighth game to force deuce, but Djokovic pulled out a couple of first serves when it was most critical to consolidate to 5-3.

The role reversal was now complete, with Murray serving in the ninth game to stay in the match. The Scot was looking spent by now, but even after gifting two match points to the Serbian found the resolve to save them purely on instinct. But then a tame dump in the net offered Djokovic a third championship point. This time though, Murray sent a tired looking forehand long to enable Djokovic clinch his maiden Shanghai Rolex Masters title.

It was a monumental effort from both men and there was barely anything to separate them in this Herculean battle for honour. In the end, Djokovic proved to be fitter mentally and physically and the 48 unforced errors from Murray, some of them at crucial junctures, proved expensive. The battleground now shifts to Paris, where the final masters-series event of year will be played at the end of this month.