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Dubai - Novak Djokovic endured a nearly three-hour test from Marcos Baghdatis on Friday to defend his Dubai Championships title in the final against Mikhail Youzhny.
Djokovic edged unseeded Baghdatis 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4, the third straight match the Serb has to come back from losing the first set.
Youzhny beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-5, 7-6 (4) to reach the Dubai final for the second time in four years.
Djokovic started slow and struggled again, committing 10 double faults in his semifinal. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, he had to save break points in his first three service games of the second set.
He saved 13 out of 16 break points in all, and conceded no chances in the third set.
"What can I say? I lost the match that I had in my hands," Baghdatis said. "I'm really frustrated now. But it's not easy. I didn't take any of the opportunities I had. I was feeling good on court, moving well."
Seventh-seeded Youzhny achieved the only break in his semifinal with unseeded Melzer in the 11th game.
"It was a tough match. It was really close," Youzhny said. "I think Jurgen played really well today. He was aggressive"
Youzhny added that it was his ability to raise the quality of his serving in the tiebreaker that proved the difference.
"During the match it was so-so, but in the tiebreak, I served really good," he said.
Djokovic edged unseeded Baghdatis 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4, the third straight match the Serb has to come back from losing the first set.
Youzhny beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-5, 7-6 (4) to reach the Dubai final for the second time in four years.
Djokovic started slow and struggled again, committing 10 double faults in his semifinal. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, he had to save break points in his first three service games of the second set.
He saved 13 out of 16 break points in all, and conceded no chances in the third set.
"What can I say? I lost the match that I had in my hands," Baghdatis said. "I'm really frustrated now. But it's not easy. I didn't take any of the opportunities I had. I was feeling good on court, moving well."
Seventh-seeded Youzhny achieved the only break in his semifinal with unseeded Melzer in the 11th game.
"It was a tough match. It was really close," Youzhny said. "I think Jurgen played really well today. He was aggressive"
Youzhny added that it was his ability to raise the quality of his serving in the tiebreaker that proved the difference.
"During the match it was so-so, but in the tiebreak, I served really good," he said.
