Best matches of 2011 ATP World Tour: Part one – Tennis Special
2011 ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season ended in November with the conclusion of the circuit ending grand finale, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The eleven months of the calendar year provided some enthralling
contests to the tennis fans all around the world, revealing the passion and thrill embedded in the sport. Let’s perk up some of the most entertaining matches of the 2011 ATP season, which shall always be remembered for the nailing biting finishes.
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal – Miami Masters final
No doubt 2011 was a year of Novak Djokovic, the belligerent Serbian who not only climbed to the top of the South African Airways ATP World Rankings, but gathered a bunch of rewards as well to finish the season on the strongest
note ever. The reigning world number one took part in 76 singles matches this season and stood tall in 70 of them, suffering merely six defeats in the entire calendar year. Djokovic captured 10 ATP championship titles, including three prestigious Grand Slam
trophies to receive the Player of the Year award from the ATP.
Former world number one, Rafael Nadal of Spain, was dethroned from the top spot in men’s rankings by the Serbian in the month of July this year. The current world number two didn’t prove much successful this circuit, according
to his high standards of course, and reeled off just three ATP World Tour titles in the entire season. The Spaniard continued with his custom of winning the coveted Roland Garros title for a record sixth time this year but the spur in his game has been diminished
through the last few months.
Nadal’s dominance over the game was brutally ravaged by Djokovic in the 2011 ATP season, as the Serbian not only toppled him from his top position in the world rankings but also deprived him off a number of title opportunities,
taking him down in the finals of six different tournaments this year. Nadal lost four ATP Masters 1000-level finals and two Grand Slam winning opportunities this season, with Djokovic closing out to 13-16 in his head-to-head against him.
The two biggest names in the world of professional tennis met for the second time in 2011 on the hard courts of Miami to play the final of the ATP Masters Series event. Djokovic had already defeated Nadal by then in his previous
encounter in the final of Indian Wells and the two tennis titans were going one-on-one for the a championship title in successive tournaments.
“It was one of the closest and best finals that I have played ever,” said Djokovic after claiming the title. “I think it was a very high level of tennis today. I think everybody enjoyed it, even us playing. It was very close, and
up to the last stroke we really didn't know which way it's going to go.”
The final of Miami Masters was the most enthralling one of the six tussles these two stars had in 2011, with Djokovic coming out as the victor in the end. The Serbian dropped the opening set at 4-6, after a sloppy start to the
contest but instantly regrouped in the following set to make his way back in business. Djokovic turned the tide in set number two to power his way to 6-3, enforcing a decisive third set in the game.
The final set of the match was a test of sheer resilience and the amazing abilities of the two top ranked tennis super stars. After a see-saw battle between the two men, a tie-breaker round came into play, with both men labouring
extremely hard to take the upper hand in the game. Djokovic proved to be the better man under pressure and converted some vital opportunities to come out as the winner after tanking the final set at 7-6(4).
“I was there fighting until the last point… nothing left in my body right now, so that's the sport. I love these kinds of matches,” said dejected Nadal after the match.
Nadal has vowed at his dismissal from the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals that he will make an impactful beginning to the next year’s ATP season, whereas Djokovic will be focusing to strengthen his position as the world number one
with some early title victories in 2012.
Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in the article are the writer’s own personal views and have nothing to do with bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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