‘Something Special’ from Djoko, and Daveed makes an honest event of Valencia.

“It’s disappointing to lose at home in the finals, no doubt,” Federer said. “I thought I missed plenty of opportunities. I’m not looking for excuses. He played tough and he played well when he had to, and saved a ton of break points that were crucial.”

Djokovic improved to 3-2 this year against Federer, and said the top-ranked Swiss pushed him to his limits.

“I have to produce something special to win,” Djokovic said at sold-out St. Jakobshalle.

The second-seeded Serb clinched the first set by saving five break points in a game that lasted 24 minutes.

“It was maybe the turning point in the whole match,” Djokovic said. “I was fortunate to keep my nerves.”

(tennis.com)

Djokovic d. Federer 6-4 4-6 6-2

Make what ye will of this result.

I’m finding it hard to think of it as that meaningful, one way or the other.

(FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

I like it that Nole managed to close out a final, again ‘only’ at the 500 level, but this time opposite the very best. Here’s me thinking the politically ‘corrected’, though not so well adjusted version of Djoko hadn’t the stomach for the fight anymore.

I dislike analyses that are wholly predicated upon how one or both players were not at their best.

The result is what it is, and being only a 500 is, I daresay, not nearly as discomforting to Fed as is being suggested in some quarters; though it can’t of course be much fun losing at home to someone he considers an anathema to everything that is just and proper about tennis.

(Photo: AP)

Meanwhile Murray cleaned up very easily in Valencia. A tournament that has none other than Daveed Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero as it’s co-owners.

Wondered how long it would take Daveed to make it official. It had always been ‘his’ tournament.