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MONTREAL: Serb Novak Djokovic denied Rafael Nadal another
installment of his rivalry with Roger Federer, ousting the Spanish
world number two Nadal, 7-5, 6-3, to book his own finals meeting
with Federer at the Montreal Masters.
Federer and Nadal were on course for their fifth
meeting in the finals this season, but Djokovic crashed the party in
reaching his fifth final of 2007.
Federer, the top seed, reached the final on
schedule with a 7-6, (8-6), 6-2 win over Radek Stepanek of Czech
Republic.
Federer reached his fifth final in his last six
tournaments, and won his 40th match of the season.
In Djokovic, he’ll face a player he has beaten
in all four of their previous encounters.
Djokovic has shined in his first hardcourt
tournament in months.
The Serb fired 11 aces and saved alal eight
break points he faced against Nadal, who won the tournament the last
time it was played in Montreal two years ago.
“This is one of the biggest wins of my career.
I beat him [on hardcourt] in Miami, and I’ve done it again,”
Djokovic said. “I played some really impressive tennis. It was a
great atmosphere,” said the winner of three titles this season.”
Nadal said he ran out of puff.
“He was just too good today,” said Nadal,
who had won five of his six meetings with Djokovic. At Wimbledon,
Nadal took advantage of a retirement by Djokovic to reach the final.
Federer booked his fifth final in his last six
tournaments as he won his 40th match of the season.
“I was very happy the way I played today,”
said the Swiss star who is just one win away from a 50th career
title. “It was a tough match with a lot of crucial points, a lot
of shots played on reaction.”
--AFP
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