Djokovic beats Coric to win Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic is fast closing the gap on Rafael Nadal at the top of the rankings after his latest success at the Shanghai Masters.

The Serb, who will leapfrog Roger Federer into second spot on Monday, beat Borna Coric 6-3 6-4 in Sunday’s final.

The trophy is Djokovic’s fourth of 2018 after victories at Wimbledon, Cincinnati and the US Open.

The victory extended his head-to-head record over Coric to 3-0 and his own winning streak to 18.

Djokovic, who has won 27 of his last 28 matches, is projected to trail Nadal by just 215 points when the new rankings are released.

Well said by Marian and @DjokerNole was ranked No. 22 in June. He could become the first player to go outside the Top 20 and finish No. 1 in the same season in the history of the #ATP Rankings.

— Greg Sharko (@SharkoTennis) October 14, 2018

And if he can maintain the form he displayed this week, it seems almost inevitable that he will return to world No.1 – a position he last occupied in November 2016.

“The last four months have been tremendous, have been fantastic,” said Djokovic, who did not drop a set in Shanghai through five wins.

“And I’m very grateful to obviously make so many great results all over the world. So I’m cherishing every moment.”

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The only real spot of bother Djokovic found himself in during a match he almost completely controlled came in the penultimate game.

Racing to a 0-40 lead, he earned three match points only to lose each one – the third on a botched overhead.

Yet with a break of serve still in hand, he calmly returned to the court after the changeover and quickly moved ahead 40-0 against a dispirited Coric, sealing victory on the very next point.

“He was just on a whole other level today,” Coric said during the trophy presentation, before addressing Djokovic: “It was not fun for me, I need to be honest, but you’re I think one of the best in the history of the tennis.”

Coric appeared slightly hampered by a right thigh complaint; he required a couple of visits from the ATP physio to re-strap the area.

But even without that Coric would have struggled to hang with Djokovic, who was practically impenetrable.

The pair finished almost even in the winner count but Coric’s error tally of 38 contrasted sharply with Djokovic’s 17.

The Serb went unbroken all week, and saved the one and only break point he faced against Coric on Sunday, while earning nine break points of his own.

Djokovic 2018 points until Roland Garros: 1055

Djokovic points afterwards: 6390 (and counting)

— enrico maria riva (@enricomariariva) October 14, 2018

He converted two of those – in the sixth game of the first set and the opening game of the second – to stamp his authority on both sets.

“I have been playing really well throughout my career in China in general, especially in Shanghai Back in 2008, I won my first Masters Cup, and that obviously opened a lot of doors for me and made me the player I am today,” Djokovic said.

“So this is definitely a special place for me.”

Coric, meanwhile, is expected to rise to a career-high ranking of No.13.