Novak Djokovic successfully defended his Dubai Championships title Sunday, beating Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a rain-delayed final.

Leading 7-5, 2-0 before rain suspended play Saturday, Novak, playing in his first final of the year, won his 17th career title in a match lasting three hours, 21 minutes at the Aviation Club. There were seven breaks of serve in Sunday's 19 games.

Novak became the second player in tournament history (since 1993) to win back-to-back titles. (Roger Federer won three in a row from 2003-05.)

Djokovic said that defending a title for the first time in his career – particularly when he did not play his best tennis at times – demonstrated significant maturity in his game and mental approach. “It means the whole world to me. Of course there are always people who are saying he can't do it. He can't do it. But I'm playing for myself, and this is another success in my career that I wasn't able to make in the last two years. But now, finally, I did it, and it's a big relief. So in the future I just hope I'll make a couple more of those.

“It's a big boost because I believe in myself. Even when I play bad, I know I have the abilities… Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end.”


“Obviously this tournament I don't allow myself to win in straight sets except the first round. Even when I can finish the job in two sets, I still want to play. Thinking about people who bought tickets and want to stay a bit longer (laughing).

“But, generally, it took a lot of energy for me. Stopping and playing, and coming back and then again stopping the match last night because of the rain. As I was saying, if we continued last night, I think I had much better chances to get the job done in two sets. I felt really well on the court, hitting the ball, feeling relaxed. Today I was really nervous before the match, during the match for no reason. [But] winning the tournament in any way, it's a huge success.”

Youzhny said that he had mixed feelings about finishing runner-up in Dubai for the second time. "Before the tournament if you say you'll play the final, you say good result. But now straight after the final, when you have some chances [I am disappointed]… It was good match for me. It was a good level of tennis. I'm disappointed because I lost, but I'm happy because it was a good level of game.

“It was a very close set. Today I understand I have to try to play aggressive, maybe more aggressive than normal if I want to continue, if I want to save this match."


Aspelin and Hanley defeated second seeds Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic and Indian Leander Paes 6-2, 6-3 in just 57 minutes to win their second ATP World Tour team title on Saturday evening at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

"I'm extremely happy," said Aspelin. "I think Paul and I have started the year good. We've been playing well, and playing with a lot of confidence right now. And in a big tournament like this here in Dubai, it's great to win."



Ernests Gulbis defeated second-seeded Ivo Karlovic 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday to win his first career title at the Delray Beach International Championships.

“I felt comfortable,” Gulbis said. “I like being in the final. I felt nobody’s giving me pressure. If I’m not putting pressure on myself, then it’s fine. I was relaxed. My coach told me before the match, ‘Just go on court. Enjoy, it’s your first final. You’re a young guy. Enjoy it, play good tennis.’”

“He was playing really good. Everything that he hit was in. As good as I was playing yesterday, this is how he was playing today,” said Karlovic, adding, “He was very cool, calm. Nothing could impress him. This year is going to be his breakthrough.”

He also became the first Latvian to win an ATP World Tour title.

“Everything what I do now is first time for my country,” said Gulbis. “Of course it’s great. I hope it’s positive. I hope much more players will start to practise in Latvia. It’s good for tennis in Latvia. They see that a guy from Latvia also can make it and win an ATP World Tour event.”

Karlovic was looking to win his first title since 2008 at the grass-court tournament in Nottingham.

“I was playing well all week,” said Karlovic, who fired 14 aces in the final to finish the week with a tournament-high 89. “Today it was a little bit worse. This is life. Sometimes you play good, sometimes you play not so good. What is important I’m healthy and overall I was playing well all this year. Next week is Davis Cup, after Indian Wells, so I will look forward to that.”


Defending doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan beat Philipp Marx of Germany and Igor Zelenay of Slovakia 6-3, 7-6 (3) to win Delray Beach title and to snap a tie with Peter Fleming and John McEnroe, and Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan. They moved into second place on the Open Era titles list, winning their 58th career title.

The Bryans are four titles away from surpassing the record of 61 held by Australians Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.

The American brothers also captured their 600th career doubles victory in their Delray Beach semifinal match on Saturday.



David Ferrer defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3 3-6 6-1 in one hour and 47 minutes to claim the title at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tournament in Acapulco.

This was his first title since his home-town success at Valencia in 2008.

“It was a hard fought match," reflected Ferrer. "We were running a lot out there. The points were very intense from the first game until the last. In the third set I think he started feeling tired and I took advantage of that. I knew he was coming from a sequence of tournaments so I kept pushing."

"Our games are very similar and we also know each other very well so there are not many secrets on the court," explained Ferrer. "Juan Carlos is a very good friend but once we step on the court we try to forget that and play as hard as we can. I hope I can play many more finals against Juan Carlos. It was a long time since I last won a title. It feels great to win the title in Acapulco."

Ferrero was attempting to become the first player to win three titles during the four-week Latin American swing following his back-to-back triumphs in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires. The former World No. 1 came into the final riding a 14-match winning streak, the second longest of his career.

"It was a good match. We were fighting for every point and in the beginning of the third set I thought he played better than me and that was the difference," commented Ferrero. “It was a very physical match. The difference from last week in Buenos Aires is that I was not being able to attack him.

“David is one of my best friends in the circuit. I am happy for him winning the title in Acapulco. He deserved it," added Ferrero.


Lukasz Kubot and and Oliver Marach defeated Fabio Fognini and Potito Starace 6-0, 6-0 to win Acapulco doubles title.


(via ATP World Tour, photo/AP Photo)

ATP Weekend Winners: Novak Djokovic, Ernests Gulbis and David Ferrer