MONTREAL - Novak Djokovic has won a second men's Rogers Cup title.
The world's top-ranked player posted a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory over sixth-seeded American Mardy Fish. The outcome was a popular one before a mostly pro-Djokovic full house on centre court at Uniprix Stadium on Sunday.
It was Djokovic's ninth tournament victory of the year and a record fifth win in one season in an ATP Masters 1,000 event. The Wimbledon champion from Serbia improved his record this year to 53-1, including a perfect 29-0 on hard courts.
The 24-year-old, who won his first Rogers Cup title in 2007, picked up US$450,000 for the win. Fish earned $224,000 for his valiant effort to become only the second player this year to beat Djokovic after Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals.
Fish reached the final in a third straight tournament but fell short of picking up his first ATP Masters title.
Fish has now lost all seven career meetings with Djokovic, but gave the top seed a battle with his awkward mix of baseline and attacking play.
Djokovic, who had played night matches this week, looked uncomfortable from the outset and needed to save six break points to get through the opening set.
He saved his eighth of the match before Fish finally broke him with a perfect forehand down the line to take a 3-2 lead in the second set. Djokovic looked lost as he was broken again to close out the set.
But Djokovic was near-perfect on his service in the final set, although he needed four break points, one of which he challenged a call and lost, before finally putting Fish away.
Djokovic was in his first event since winning Wimbledon, while Fish has been the hottest player of the hard court season leading to the U.S. Open later this month. He has reached finals in three straight tournaments in the last month, including a win in Atlanta.
Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Michael Llodra of France won the doubles title 6-4, 6-7, 10-5 over American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan.
The fourth-seeded pair split the US$140,000 top prize while the Bryans won $70,000. Zimonjic and Llodra ousted Daniel Nestor of Toronto and Max Mirnyi of Belarus in the semifinals Saturday.
Nestor and Mirnyi took home $35,500.
The announced attendance for the week was a tournament-record 213,760.
