INDIAN WELLS, California (AFP) – Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic won the ATP Indian Wells title, rallying to beat world No. 1 Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and improve his record this season to 18-0. Djokovic, who took over the No. 2 world ranking by beating Roger Federer in the semi-finals, on Sunday avenged a loss to Nadal in the 2007 Indian Wells final.
The 23-year-old Serbian has looked invincible this season and Sundays victory in the California desert underlined that. Djokovic fired four aces, including two key ones to hold serve in the second set, in the two-hour, 25-minute match to capture his second Indian Wells crown.
"I am having the best period of my life on the tennis court," Djokovic said. "I am playing with a lot of confidence. Im feeling the ball well on the court. Im very dedicated and I have a big will to win each match. "So it will not stop here." Djokovic took the second set in dramatic style, winning a marathon ninth game on the sixth set point after Nadal had saved five. The game, which lasted over 10 minutes, ended when Nadal hit a backhand wide in front of a near-capacity crowd of about 15,000.
It was part of a six-game win streak for Djokovic that stretched from the end of the second and into the third set and proved to be the turning point. "I managed to hold that very important game and then I was on a roll," Djokovic said. "I felt that this is the time when I had to use my opportunity and step in and be more aggressive and take it to him, and thats what I did. "It was just couple of points in the end of the second set that kind of turned the match around." Nadal hit another sliding forehand into the net on match point, sparking a celebration from Djokovic, who clenched both fists, threw his head back and screamed at the top of his lungs.