Points won by each set in Miami: [ 29-17, 48-40 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
24 % Murray – 15 of 61
17 % Djokovic – 13 of 73
Points won by each set in Rome: [ 33-22, 32-28 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
23 % Murray – 14 of 59
19 % Djokovic – 11 of 56
Two untypical matches in their rivalry – separated by seven years – as Murray outplayed Djokovic twice in the finals of big tournaments, at least in terms of the point difference (20 & 15 respectively) and number of games won by the Serbian (just 7 & 6 respectively). In Miami the Serb should have won the 2nd set though: he had two adv. break points leading 4:1 – Murray served an ace out-wide, then played a backhand winner down the line responding on Djokovic’s return. Djokovic wasted two set points serving at 5:3 – first he made a backhand error, then committed his fifth double fault of the match [in the picture it’s written ‘1’ incorrectly]. It was Murray’s third straight win over Djokovic after initial four defeats. The Miami triumph it will be Murray’s biggest title until the Olympics in London 2012… Seven years later in Rome, the birthday boy Murray needed 8 minutes fewer (1:43 & 1:35 hrs) to notch his first clay-court win over his toughest opponent in a rainy final. The Scot went through the match unbroken, saving break points in his two opening games of the 2nd set. Djokovic was tired after very tight matches in his two previous rounds against Nadal & Nishikori.
Murray’s comments after those finals:
Miami ’09 – “The conditions here are so tough – I know sitting there is difficult but running around is pretty tricky too. He started to come to the net a lot more and I lost my timing a little bit and I started to find it a little bit difficult towards the end of the second set.”
Rome ’16 – “It’s mostly great players that have won this event, so I’m very proud to have my name on the trophy. Today against Novak it was nice. I know he didn’t play his best today. But there were still some tough moments for me in the second set. I saved the break points well and held strong. And overall it was a great week for me. I didn’t lose a set.”
Murray’s route to his 3rd ‘Masters 1K’ title (11th overall):
2 Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
3 Nicolas Massu 6-4, 6-4
4 Viktor Troicki 6-1, 6-0
Q Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2
S Juan Martin del Potro 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
W Novak Djokovic 6-2, 7-5
Murray’s route to his 12th ‘Masters 1K’ title (36th overall):
2 Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-3
3 Jeremy Chardy 6-0, 6-4
Q David Goffin 6-1, 7-5
S Lucas Pouille 6-2, 6-1
W Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3