Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/604914
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2015 57 THE world number one outclassed Rafael Nadal to win a surprisingly brief semi-final 6-3 6-3. He did not face a single break point and will play either Roger Federer or Stan Wawrinka in the final on Sun- day. Djokovic said: "It was a great per- formance from the very beginning. I was trying to be aggressive and dictate the play, and I managed to pull out my best game when it was needed the most." Djokovic and Nadal were meeting for a 46th time, with many of their previous encounters being gruelling epics full of brutal rallies, but here the Serbian was just too good. He is now level with Nadal at 23 wins apiece, the first time Nadal has not led a rivalry that dates back to the French Open in 2006. Given Djokovic had won seven of their last eight matches and not dropped a set in three previous meetings with Nadal this year, it was perhaps unwise to expect anything less. But, for once in a year where he has been utterly dominant, Djoko- vic wobbled a little in his final two group matches at the O2 Arena. First he lost an indoor match for the first time in three years against Federer and was then below his best again in a tight win over To- mas Berdych. Nadal, meanwhile, had rediscov- ered some form of old after a chal- lenging year, winning all three of his group matches against Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray and David Ferrer. But from the moment Djokovic fired four clean winners to break to love in the second game of the match, the tone was set. After three games Djokovic had blasted eight winners and made not a single unforced error. David Beckham was among the capacity crowd, but the contest they would have wished for was not forthcoming as Djokovic comfort- ably held Nadal at arm's length. The Spaniard had been aggressive in his play in the first three matches, finding depth and penetration with his groundstrokes, but they had lit- tle effect on Djokovic. Nadal at least avoided being broken in the opening game of the second set but the pressure was relentless and it was no surprise when Djoko- vic moved ahead 3-2. Serving to stay in the match Nadal could resist no longer and Djokovic clinched victory after an hour and 19 minutes, nailing a backhand win- ner down the line to bring up match point and then finding the opposite corner. TENNIS MOTORSPORTS Sport Brilliant Novak Djokovic crushes Rafa Nadal to reach ATP World Tour final Novak Djokovic stayed on course to end the best season of his life with a fourth straight ATP World Tour Finals crown Novak Djokovic celebrates his victory Vettel wins Race of Champions crown FERRARI driver Sebastian Vettel claimed victory during the knock- out tournament of the Race of Champions at London's former Ol- ympic Stadium, his first triumph in the individual version of the event. Vettel, who had previously claimed six Nations Cup trophies, beat nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen 2-0 in the final. Vettel edged out Kristensen by half a second in Radical race before the Dane made a mistake in the second heat in the KTM X-Bows. That handed the initiative to Vet- tel and he duly cruised home to become 'Champion of Champions' for the first time in his RoC career. Vettel made it through to the final at the expense of reigning champion David Coulthard, while Kristensen pipped Blancpain king Alex Buncombe, who was a sur- prise semi-finalist. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo had an early exit as he was eliminated in the first round by Force India driver Nico Hülkenberg, while Jenson Button was beaten 2-0 by Felipe Massa in a couple of all-F1 ties. Massa made it only one stage fur- ther before he was narrowly beaten by Coulthard. Hülkenberg also fell at the quar- ter-final stage when he was bested by ultimate winner Vettel in an all- German battle in the RoC buggies. Susie Wolff 's competitive career came to an end with defeat by compatriot Coulthard, as Lotus' Romain Grosjean was knocked out by BTCC's Jason Plato. Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehr- lein was beaten by Andy Priaulx in the qualifying round, the Ger- man hindered by a broken throttle pedal, which triggered a crash in his EuroNASCAR machine. 2016 Lotus driver Jolyon Palmer was also knocked out in the pre- liminary round as he fell to Bun- combe. Sebastian Vettel and Tom Kristensen