ABU DHABI: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic routed David Ferrer 6-0, 6-3 yesterday to reach the final of the World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament.
Djokovic will face Spain's Nicolas Almagro in the final. A last-minute replacement for Rafael Nadal, Almagro rallied from a set down to beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-2 in the second semifinal.
Looking for a strong start to the 2013 season, notably at next month's Australian Open, Djokovic wrapped up the first set in only 26 minutes. He struggled early on in the second as Ferrer broke the defending champion to go up 2-1.
But Djokovic broke back courtesy of a delicate drop shot and several crisp winners to make it 2-2. He then broke the fifth-ranked Spaniard a second time to go up 4-2 on the way to an easy victory.
"I am definitely surprised with my game, considering the fact that this is the first match of the official season for me," Djokovic said.
"This is a great surface when preparing for Australia," he said. "We love it here. We come days before to practice and to enjoy the beautiful weather. So many Serbian flags in the crowd ... It is definitely encouraging for me. And I am definitely trying to get as much positive energy from the people." Ferrer, who lost in the final last year to Djokovic and is set to open his season in Doha next week, credited the Serb with one of his trademark dominant performances.
"He has all the shots. Novak is playing very consistent, he is in a very good moment now, very confident," Ferrer said. "I am OK, trying every game, every match. Of course, I will try to improve. Sometimes you play some matches better, some are worst . Of course, I did not play well today. But I have to be positive."
Djokovic, Almagro in Abu Dhabi final
Djokovic, Almagro in Abu Dhabi final
Sixth Dakar Rally win for Al-Attiyah as Benavides triumphs on two wheels
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the sixth time in the car category on Saturday as Argentina’s Luciano Benavides won by two seconds on two wheels, the narrowest margin ever.
Al-Attiyah, with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had led overnight after taking his 50th career stage win and made no mistakes as he handed Dacia a first victory at their second attempt in the two-week event held entirely in Saudi Arabia.
The 55-year-old Qatari also won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Ford’s Nani Roma finished second, nine minutes and 42 seconds behind, and teammate Mattias Ekstrom was third after winning the final stage.
Last year’s winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia withdrew in the opening week after mechanical problems.
Benavides had earlier taken the motorcycle title after American Ricky Brabec lost his way and saw victory slip through his fingers.
The KTM rider, whose older brother Kevin won the Dakar in 2021 and 2023, came home second in the 105-km stage in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, with Honda’s overnight leader Brabec 10th.
In a grueling endurance event spanning two weeks and 8,000km over rocky roads, through canyons and vast expanses of desert dunes, twice winner Brabec blew his chances with only a few kilometers remaining.
Spaniard Tosha Schareina finished third overall for Honda.
“From the start to the finish I never stopped dreaming, I never stopped believing,” said Benavides, who had trailed Brabec by three minutes and 20 seconds after Friday’s penultimate stage.
“I said to all my people around ‘I don’t know why but I still feel it’s possible, I still believe I can win and it’s going to go my way’.
“In the last three kilometers, Ricky took a wrong piste and I took a good one... I just saw the opportunity and I took it.”
American Skyler Howes was fourth overall for Honda, ahead of Australia’s 2025 champion Daniel Sanders on a KTM.
Sanders crashed on stage 10 but refused to retire and raced on despite a suspected broken collarbone.
