(October 7, 2012) -- After missing out on last year's event due to injury, Novak Djokovic was finally able to claim his third consecutive China Open title over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Beijing.
The first game of the match proved that both men were ready to lay everything on the line as Tsonga, who had an early break point chance against Djokovic, hit a nearly perfect volley only to watch as Djokovic flicked a even better backhand topspin lob to win the point.
Both men traded breaks in the set that soon culminated in a tiebreak that Djokovic finally won when Tsonga hit a slice backhand into the net.
Djokovic, who later admitted to some first set nerves, settled down in the second set and broke Tsonga early with a forehand winner. Tsonga netted a forehand of his own at 1-3 to go down another break and that was all Djokovic needed to race past the Frenchman to seal a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory.
“I think it was a good match,” said Tsonga to ATP.com “I missed maybe something in the middle of the first set. I was a break up, and I was playing well. But then he played solid. It was really difficult to control him."
Tsonga is now 1-9 on the year against top 10 players but his run to the Beijing finals keeps his hopes alive to secure a final spot at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Djokovic earned his 40th hard court match win of the season and his 32nd career title. Beijing has proved to be a good place for the Serb and he said he plans to return next year.
"It's been one of my most successful tournaments," Djokovic said later about the event. "This is where I love to play. I love the conditions and, as I mentioned before, I have lots of support from the fans who are very loyal and very nice."
Earlier in the day, Bob and Mike Bryan beat Carlos Berlocq and Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-2 to take the men's doubles title. The victory gave Mike Bryan his 84th career title -- an all-time record previously held by Australia's Todd Woodbridge.
| (File Photo: Novak Djokovic at the 2012 U.S. Open; Credit: Andy Kentla) |