Djokovic weathers Verdasco storm, to meet Murray in final

The two best men’s singles players in the world clash in the final of the Qatar Open.

Taking a jarring tumble rolling over his left foot, the back of Djokovic’s head hit the hard surface as he crashed to the court in the seventh game of the second set.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic remain on collision course for their first major meeting of the season after both won through to the Qatar Open semi-finals on Thursday.

Stalling his free-fall and regaining emotional control were immediate challenges for the 12-time Grand Slam champion.

Murray’s semifinal opponent will be third-seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, who saved all seven break points he faced to beat fifth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 6-3.

“I guess I had to get more time to get the engine started”, Djokovic said. “I wasn’t that clinical on break points this week, which maybe that comes with playing a few more matches“. Only thing I could do is fight and get myself in a position to win the match. In a 78-minute first set, Melzer, playing some inspired tennis, saved eight set points before eventually succumbing in a hard-fought tie-break.

“Today was a ideal example of the depth in the men’s games just now”, Murray said. “Let’s see what happens”.

Boris Becker, no longer in the coaching hot seat, had described Djokovic’s performance against Murray at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals as his worst in the three years they worked together.

Murray has never come back from a first set loss to Djokovic, and a number of miscued shots suggested that record was set to continue as the rivals headed into the second set.

“It’s a great test tomorrow”.

But Murray’s commitment can not be undermined either, and today’s final, played in nearly Grand Slam-esque fashion, is a good show of things to come from the 2017 season – all the more exciting now that new talent is quickly rising towards the top of the ATP ranks. “We know each other’s games better than we know anyone else’s”.

What times does it start?

Live Streaming worldwide, including India: ATP World Tour live.