Andy Murray became the champion at the Western & Southern Open when Novak Djokovic was forced to retire with a shoulder injury with Murray leading 6-3, 3-0.
“There is no good loss, that’s for sure,” said Djokovic. “But the good thing is that there is a week, eight days to the start of the US Open. So I think that’s enough time for me to get ready.
“The major issue was shoulder. Generally I was quite exhausted playing many matches, but the exhaustion is not the reason.
“The reason is shoulder pain. I just could not serve. I served an average 90 miles per hour the first serve, and I could not play forehands.
“You know, I could have maybe played another couple of games, but what for? I cannot beat a player like Murray today with one stroke.
s for Murray, “it was really a good week after I struggled last week. Well, didn’t drop a set and beat some very good players from pretty much the first round onwards. Against Nalbandian who I started off against it was tough, and then Mardy was playing really good tennis going into the semis.
“Obviously Novak today, it was unfortunate the way it ended, but I thought the first set, after the first couple of games, good standard. I thought a lot of long rallies, good points. It’s been good preparation for New York.”
“I would have obviously liked to have won by finishing the match. But it happens sometimes. I have to look at the week as a whole. It’s been a very good week. Coming in here I had played badly in Montreal, so I needed to have a good week. Regardless of the match today, I was happy with the way that it had gone. Glad I managed to win today, but unfortunate the way it happened.”
Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic battled for three sets with the Russian coming out on top 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3 for the championship. Sharapova on her first Cincinnati title: “It was a really tough one out there. It was so physical, and obviously it’s something to expect when you’re playing Jelena. You know, there is no secret she’s a great mover and gets so many balls back.
“Yeah, in the end, it could have gone either way. We kept breaking each other in the beginning. Felt like one of us played a few good points and than the other one and the levels were up and down throughout the match.
“So, yeah, I’m just fortunate that at the end of the day I’m the winner.”
Jankovic commented on the match: “today I thought it was a good battle out there. I mean, this match could have gone either way. I had my chances. I had a set. You know, I came back from being 4‑1 down, and then we played that tiebreaker and it was a few points.
“It could have gone my way as well and I could have finished in two sets, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. You know, that’s part of the sport. It shows that the match is not over until you shake the hands.
“So we fought, both of us, we fought until the end. I think my biggest mistake was that I didn’t serve so well today. I would break her many times and I would have the lead, and I would serve to, you know, go, you know, two games ahead.
“You know, for example 2‑1 I would serve to go up 3‑1, and I didn’t make a lot of first serves so I could have the advantage and get some more free points. Especially in that third set and maybe at the end of the second, I was playing with a lot of second serves, which is tough, especially against Maria.”
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