Djokovic stuns Murray to win Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic gained sweet revenge for his US Open defeat to Andy Murray on Sunday, saving five match points to seal a stunning 5-7, 7-6 (13/11), 6-3 victory in the Shanghai Masters final.

The iron-willed Serbian was second-best for long stretches but refused to buckle, sealing his 13th Masters title in a contest lasting three hours and 21 minutes as he hunts down Roger Federer at the top of the rankings.

The thrilling duel, played out in front of a packed crowd at the Qi Zhong Stadium, hinged on a monster second set tie-break that lasted more than 20 minutes, which the second seed won to stay alive in the match.

The defeat, in a contest packed with high-quality, spellbinding tennis, was defending champion Murray's first ever loss at the Shanghai Masters after he won the tournament in 2010 and 2011.

The Serbian, hot favourite to be year-end number one for the second consecutive season, said the title would give him a major boost as he closes in on the top spot, which he said was his "biggest objective".

A gruelling first set contained seven breaks of serve as the players went toe-to-toe in a breathtaking display of power hitting, with neither able to grab the initiative.

But the British third seed made what proved to be the crucial breakthrough in the 11th game, recovering from 40-love down to break for a 6-5 lead as an infuriated Djokovic destroyed his racquet, tossing it away in disgust.

Murray, 25, broke in the seventh game of the second set for a 4-3 lead and looked poised for victory as he led 5-4, 30-0.

But Djokovic produced a through-the-legs shot, wowing the crowd as he began his fightback and then thwarted the Scot on his first match point before cancelling out Murray's advantage.

The Serbian, 25, denied the Scot four more times in a pulsating shoot-out, sealing the set with a drive volley that was followed by a trademark fist-pumping celebration as Murray destroyed his own racquet.

The third set went with serve until Djokovic made the vital breakthrough to lead 4-3. Murray could not find a way back, broken again as the Serbian sealed victory.

Murray beat his rival in five sets in last month's US Open final to secure Britain's first men's Grand Slam singles title since the 1930s, just weeks after his Olympic triumph in front of home fans in London. (AFP)