Sunday 8 January 2017 09:53, UK
Novak Djokovic gained revenge over world No 1 Andy Murray to claim the first title of the ATP season with a 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory in the Qatar Open final.
The pair showed just why they are the very best in the world with a superb display over almost three hours to entertain a capacity crowd in Doha.
However it was the world No 2 who kicked off his 2017 season with the narrowest of victories to end Murray's brilliant streak of wins at 28 and five consecutive tournaments, while the Serb claimed his first title since the Toronto Masters in July.
It also continued a remarkable streak of wins for Djokovic, who has now won the opening set against Murray on 20 occasions and has won all 20 matches, although it could have been different as Murray battled back from a set and a break down to save three championship points and force the deciding third set.
However having been beaten at the World Tour Finals in London by Murray who claimed the world No 1 spot with victory, Djokovic gained a significant triumph as the pair set a benchmark for what could be to come over the rest of the season.
"Definitely one of the best ways to start the year. After saving five match points and winning yesterday's semi-final, I had three or four match points in the second set," Djokovic told Eurosport.
"He turned it around, and I thought 'wow, I hope this is not payback time'.
"All the way to the last shot you never know with Andy so it's no strange occurrence for both of us to play three sets for three hours.
"It's a very physical battle, we're both going to need a little bit of time to recover from that and get ready for Melbourne.
""It means to me a lot because in the last three months of 2016, I hadn't felt that confident on the court, I didn't play so consistent.
"To start off the year with a win against number one in the world and your biggest rival is a dream start so I'm hoping I can get the best out of it."
Both men kicked off with dominance on their own serves and indeed throughout the match break points were few and far between, Murray wasting an early window in just the third game of the match.
Djokovic's chance did not come until the eighth game and it was here that the match took it's first turn, Murray led 40-15 on his own serve but disintegrated to hand the Serb a crucial break which he consolidated in the next game to clinch the opening set.
The world No 2's first serve was giving Murray little opportunity, Djokovic at one point winning 16 consecutive points to move to the brink of the title.
Having only had the merest of glimpses at a break of serve, Murray seized his chance in the second set as Djokovic served for the title at 5-4, but the world No 1 sensed his chance and after saving three championship points broke brilliantly to level the set.
The Scot turned back-to-back games into four in succession to clinch the set and take the match to a third-set decider which ebbed and flowed just as the entire match had done.
With Djokovic appearing to tire, Murray looked to be in the ascendancy heading into the third set, but despite a couple of shows of petulance, which included a dropped point following a second behaviour warning, Djokovic looked a more in control character than he did over the second half of 2016.
Murray had his chances on the Djokovic serve, forcing the play more than his opponent but when his major chance came in the fifth game he was made to rue the missed opportunity as the Serb hit back to break in the very next set and that was to prove crucial.
Djokovic broke the Scot to love and despite falling 0-30 down on his own serve when serving for the title for a second time, the Serb rallied to claim the game, the set and the title as the pair embraced at the net to signal the end of another classic final.
"It was a tough one to lose, but a great way to start the year. I think it was high-level tennis," said Murray.
"Some of the points were physically tough, but a great way to start the new year playing like that and I look forward to the next few weeks.
"I've had a fantastic week here, I've really enjoyed it."
Both men will now take a week off before the first Grand Slam of the year gets underway at the Australian Open.
Twelve months ago Djokovic began the year beating Murray in Melbourne to claim his sixth title at the event - but the landscape has now changed with Murray in the ascedency.
The Scot has lost in five Aussie finals, three of them to Djokovic, but will now have his sights set on the title that would give him the third leg of a career Grand Slam to go with his two Wimbledon crowns and US Open triumph.
