Novak Djokovic won a record fifth Masters Series title in a year when he defeated Mardy Fish 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Rogers Cup tournament on Sunday. Djokovic is the first world No. 1 to win an ATP World Tour tournament in his debut since Pete Sampras did it back in 1993 at the Hong Kong tournament. Montreal is Djokovic’s 10th overall ATP Masters title and it’s he his ninth tournament victory of the season.
Djokovic talked to media in his post match news conference about how much fun it is to have the “World number 1 effect” on his opponents, “well, it is probably a little mental advantage when you get on the court knowing that you’re the player to beat. But, on the other hand, it adds the pressure and expectations as well because you are a favorite to win each match you play, whoever you play against.
“It’s a right balance in the end, you know, trying to just think about the match, think about just the next point, you know, figuring out tactics to win against the opponent that day, not thinking about the position that you have or whatever.
“But today I started off really well. I played a first set and couple of games better. I should have made that break in the second set. I didn’t. I got him back in the match.
“I did get tight in the end. It was even match. He served well. He was moving well. I played one good return game in the third set, and it was enough.
“But, yeah, it was a close match, for sure, said Djokovic. “A couple of points, one good return game in the third set, decided the winner. But it’s a finals. You can somehow expect that the players are evenly matched and they both want to win the title badly. This is something that I was aware of before the match.
Now the US Open follows - we will see what happens there
