CINCINNATI: Fourth-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova survived an erratic performance to win the Cincinnati WTA title, prevailing 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 over Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic while World number four Andy Murray won the ATP’s Cincinnati Masters title for the second time on Sunday as world number one Novak Djokovic retired injured while trailing 6-4, 3-0.
Djokovic conceded just his second defeat of a season against 57 victories.
He was hindered during the match by a sore right shoulder, a problem Djokovic had alluded to after his abbreviated victory over similarly ailing Tomas Berdych in the semifinals on Saturday.
“Obviously when he started to slow down his serve toward the end of the first set it was going to be tough for him,” said Murray, who also won in Cincinnati in 2008.
“Sometimes things can warm up when you play, sometimes they get worse. I just tried to stay focused.”
Djokovic, who said wear and tear was to be expected for a player going deep into tournaments week after week, admitted that his shoulder felt worse than it had earlier in the week.
But he insisted he would be ready for the start of the US Open on August 29.
“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.” Murray made the most of Djokovic’s sluggish start to open the match with a service break.
Djokovic, who claimed a record fifth Masters title of the season last week in Montreal, managed to break back to knot the set at 3-3.
Murray broke back immediately, punctuating a baseline rally with a volley winner that left Djokovic looking baffled.
Djokovic’s serve continued to slow and after he pitched a forehand into the net on set point he called for medical treatment, grimacing as the trainer manipulated his shoulder.
It wasn’t enough, and Djokovic, barely able to reach for an overhead, called it a day shortly before a summer rainstorm swept across the court. “I really tried,” said Djokovic, who offered apologies to the fans and tournament officials for failing to finish the match. “Didn’t make sense for me to continue.”
Sharapova, 24, earned her second title of the season after a triumph in Rome. She improved on her runner-up finish to Kim Clijsters here last year and gave herself a momentum boost prior to the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season that starts on August 29 in New York. But it was no easy matter. After an aggressive start saw Sharapova take a 4-1 lead, Jankovic went on a roll, breaking the Russian three times in a row and taking the opening set when Sharapova double-faulted.
Despite a stream of unforced errors — including a total of 11 double faults — Sharapova finally took the second set, winning the last five points of the tiebreaker.
The third set started with six straight breaks of serve before Sharapova held for a 4-3 lead.
Jankovic double-faulted twice to surrender the next game, leaving Sharapova to serve out the match after two hours and 49 minutes. (Agencies)