Djokovic Wins Youngest-Ever Estoril Open Final

Djokovic, Gasquet

ATP World No. 5 Novak Djokovic of Serbia captured his third ATP title of the year at the Estoril Open on Sunday.
Third-seeded Djokovic defeated No. 5 seed Richard Gasquet of France 7-6(7), 0-6, 6-1 in two hours and 12 minutes on Court Central at the Estadio Nacional.
It was the youngest final in the 18-year history of the tournament.
The 19-year-old Djokovic leads the ATP circuit with a 31-6 match record this year, which includes a 6-1 record on clay courts.
He has already won titles in Adelaide (d. Guccione) and ATP Masters Series Miami (d. Canas). Djokovic was also runner-up at ATP Masters Series Indian Wells (l. to Nadal).
He improves to 5-2 in ATP finals.
Gasquet held the upper hand in the opening set of the final, holding two set points on the Djokovic serve at 5-5 and one further set point at 6-5.
The 20-year-old Frenchman also squandered three set points in the tie-break at 6-4 and on serve at 7-6.
Djokovic wrapped up the first set in one hour and 16 minutes.
But Gasquet, who is projected to rise to No. 13 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, regained his composure and ran through the second set in just 23 minutes for the loss of seven points.
Djokovic won all seven points on serve, while Gasquet converted three of five break point opportunities.
Gasquet won just 11 of 36 points in the final set, as Djokovic broke serve in the second and fifth games to secure his first Estoril Open title on debut.
Gasquet, who was appearing in his first ATP final since winning the Lyon title in October 2006, falls to 22-9 this season.
He notched his 100th ATP-level victory over Max Mirnyi of Belarus in the second round on Tuesday.
Djokovic improved to 2-0 in career meeting with Gasquet. The pair first met in the ATP Masters Series Madrid second round in October 2006.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Djokovic: “I would like to congratulate Richard for reaching the final. On the court he is a great player and you can really expect a lot from him in the future. I knew it would be a very difficult match against him especially on this surface.
“He produces very high spins, which produces a lot of ‘Allez’ effects on this surface. I knew I would have to work really hard from the start and stay focused to the end if I wanted to beat him.
“We played a really close first set and I think he was supposed to win the first set, but I fought hard. He had a lot of set points, but that is tennis – it can change at any time.
“In the second set it was inexplicable for me. I started to play really bad. I didn’t give him any pressure and he was playing a solid game.
“After I was probably saving my energy for the third set, which I managed to do. I was really happy to start the set with a break, which was my goal to break early. I was playing aggressive, but with a lot of patience. He had a little lack of physical strength. We had a long week - especially myself, with difficult matches in the first round and in the quarterfinals.
“I’m really happy to win another title in a very close match. I hope the crowd enjoyed it because there was a really nice atmosphere.”
Gasquet: “I don’t know it was a strange match because there are three matches in one. I can tell because in the first set, I am playing good, he is playing good too and it’s a great match.
“I think I am not lucky because I had 5 or 6 set points maybe I don’t know, every point was bad for me, because he touched the line or was not far from the line, so it was not easy for me.
“He won 9-7 in the tie-break so no, I wasn’t lucky in the first. He did maybe the best choice but me I tried to be aggressive on set point but I think I had no chances, I am not lucky on this set.After, I don’t know what happened with him, he didn’t play the second set I don’t know why, maybe he was a little bit tired or he was really nervous after the first set maybe and I won 6-0 in ten minutes.
“In the third set he is playing great and I have to be more aggressive to win this match, it’s my game and I played good but I need to be more aggressive to win this final, this type of match against a great player, I have to play more and more aggressive with my backhand, to serve better and go more to the net.
“I didn’t do that and after that he played wonderful. That’s never easy with him, because he served great, but I think if I can win the first set, I think I can win the match after.”