Novak Djokovic found his A-game in Madrid 2019. The Serb beat Taylor Fritz, Jeremy Chardy, Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas to lift his 33rd Masters 1000 title and join Rafael Nadal at the top of the list. Djokovic defeated Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 32 minutes in the title clash, controlling the pace from start to finish to lift the second title of the season.
Tsitsipas defeated Rafael Nadal the previous night but could not do much against another legend in the title clash. The Greek praised the Serb, who used his fatigue and ‘made him suffer.’ Tsitsipas reached one deuce on the return and felt the pressure behind the initial shot.
Novak broke the young gun once in each set to bring the victory home and celebrate his third Madrid Masters crown, the first in three years. Djokovic did everything right, taming the rival’s shots and delivering a steady package of offensive tennis with a solid defense to leave Tsitsipas behind.
Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2019 Madrid final.
Novak hit 28 winners and 18 unforced errors. Stefanos counted 19 winners and 21 mistakes. He failed to follow Djokovic’s pace in the shortest and mid-range rallies, and the Serb made a crucial difference with the first groundstroke after the serve.
Novak settled into a beautiful rhythm right from the start. He broke Stefanos in the second game after the Greek’s loose forehand and stayed in front constantly. Djokovic sealed the opener with a service winner in game nine for 6-3 after 41 minutes and a boost.
Stefanos fought better in set number two, fending off two break points in game three and serving to extend the set at 4-4. Djokovic shifted into a higher gear when it mattered the most and broke the rival at 15 after Tsitsipas’ forehand error.
The Serb served for the victory at 5-4 and converted the fourth match point to celebrate his first ATP title since the Australian Open and the 33rd Masters 1000 trophy. “Novak deserved the victory! He played unbelievably, and I could not do much.
I was not there physically; my legs were not coping with my mind. I could feel the fatigue and this soreness in my legs and the entire body. Novak played smartly and moved me around the court. He knew I had a tough match last night and took advantage of that fact.
Novak made me run and suffer more, and I did not have solutions. I tried getting the ball on the rise and coming a little closer to the line, but I did not feel comfortable doing that. Novak seemed very solid from the baseline.
He knew what he was doing. Novak’s backhand is the best I have ever seen, and he controls it brilliantly. He can play crosscourt and down the line the same way, making it very difficult to deal with. Usually, some players have a good stroke, but it could be more consistent.
Novak’s serve works well, placing it nicely. Also, his backhand is rock-solid, and he does not have to push much from his forehand because it’s not his strongest weapon,” Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
