Tennis

Djokovic past Canas to Miami win

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-04-02 09:27

 Serbian teenager Novak Djokovic breezed to a 6-3 6-2 6-4 win over Argentine Guillermo Canas to claim the Sony Ericsson Open on April 1, underlining his status as a possible future world number one.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic(left) holds trophy with Argentine's Guillermo Canas at Sony Ericsson Open. [Reuters]

After losing to Rafael Nadal in the Indian Wells final two weeks ago, the 19-year-old 10th seed would not let a second opportunity for his first Masters Series title slip through his fingers, replacing Andre Agassi as the youngest winner in the 23-year history of the Miami event.

It was the second title of the season for Djokovic and the fourth of his young career.

Employing an all-round game that has drawn comparison with Roger Federer's, Djokovic stands out among a list of great Miami champions, joining Ivan Lendl (1989) as the only player to lift the title without dropping a set.

Canas, who recorded back-to-back upset wins over world number one Federer at Indian Wells and Miami, had no answers for the confident Djokovic who will climb to a career high number seven in the world rankings on Monday and is ready to take his place among the circuit's elite.

"I'm always comparing myself to the best players in the world because that is what I want to be one day," Djokovic told reporters. "Right now I feel like for the first time in my career that I am on that level, that I deserve to be one of the three best players in the world.

"I'm really happy with my achievement right now and hope this is only the start."

Back on the ATP Tour after serving a 15-month doping ban that ended last September, Canas had battled through qualifying and five seeded players to reach the final but could not manage a single break on five chances in the final.

Djokovic won a contentious first set when the 29-year-old Argentine was charged with a foot fault giving him triple break point which he immediately converted into a 3-1 lead.

A furious Canas argued the call with the chair umpire and struggled to regain his composure, losing the next 12 points as Djokovic went on to take the opening set.

Turning Point

Djokovic also recorded the early break in the second to go up 3-2 but the set eventually swung on the sixth game that went to deuce eight times and needed 19 minutes to decide with the young Serb finally holding serve and both players receiving a standing ovation.

"It was probably the turning point," said Djokovic. "You always have turning points every match.

"It's very important to stay calm and mentally strong.

"In the end I managed to be stronger mentally."

Canas received treatment on his left thigh in the third set but continued to battle until handing Djokovic the decisive break when he double-faulted at 4-4 allowing the Serb to serve out the match.

"Today I did everything I could to try to win," said Canas. "I did my best all three sets.

"He's a great player, very confident, he played great tennis these four weeks.

"If he continues like this he will be one of the top three players very, very soon."

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