Tennis - Djokovic Tastes Success in Shanghai

Six-time Grand Slam winner, Novak Djokovic, was quick to pay tribute to Juan Martin del Potro after edging to victory over the Argentine star in the Shanghai Masters final.

The 26-year-old Serb secured his seventh trophy of the year and the 15th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title of his career by beating the sixth seed 6-1 3-6 7-6 in a match that lasted two hours and 33 minutes.

Djokovic, a perennial favourite in the tennis betting odds, hit 13 winners in a one-sided first set, breaking del Potro’s serve in the second and fourth games. However, del Potro responded well in the second set, breaking Djokovic in the second game and surging into a 3-0 lead.

Del Potro went on to level the match at one set each by winning the second set in 44 minutes and, although both men had chances to break in the third and decisive set, it eventually went to a tie-break.

Djokovic opened up 2-0 and 4-2 leads in the tie-break before eventually clinching it 7-3 and now has a 62-9 winning record this season after securing his fourth China Open title last week.

"He's a fantastic player and a great person," Djokovic said afterwards. "He showed that again. He has a really likable personality and he's a big fighter. All the way up to the last point, I didn't know if I was going to win the match.

“It was a very even match. My motivation is there always, especially when I'm playing finals of such a big event."

Both players have already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals, which will be staged in London next month. The event is already attracting a lot of interest from people who know how to bet on tennis.

Djokovic has won the Australian Open on four occasions - in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013 - as well as tasting success at Wimbledon and at the US Open in 2011.