Dubai Open: Looking back at Novak Djokovic's 4 title runs
Novak Djokovic has extended his perfect start to the 2020 season to 14-0 with a straight-sets win over Tunisia's Malek Jaziri in the opening round of the Dubai Open.
Djokovic is fresh off winning a record-extending 8th title at the Australian Open title, having earlier won all 6 of his singles matches for Serbia at the inaugural ATP Cup.
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One of only two players to have triumphed multiple times at the Dubai Open (the other being eight-time champion Roger Federer), Djokovic reeled off 18 consecutive wins here between 2009 and 2012 - the best streak at the tournament, just one shy of Federer's 19.
On that note, let us have a look at the 4 occasions Djokovic was the last man standing in Dubai.
#1 2009: Beat David Ferrer 7-5, 6-3
Making his third consecutive appearance at the tournament after failing to reach the title round in 2007-08, Djokovic produced his first title run at the Dubai Open in 2009.
The then 21-year-old Serb beat Flavio Cipolla, Jan Hernych and Marin Cilic before recovering from a set deficit to down Frenchman Gilles Simon and reach his first final at the tournament.
In the title match, Djokovic conquered David Ferrer of Spain in straight sets to win his first of five titles in the season. In the process, he became the 14th different player to win the Dubai Open.
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#2 2010: Beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
After a routine first-round win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Djokovic dropped a set in each of his next three matches - against Viktor Troicki, Ivan Ljubicic and Marcos Baghdatis - to return to the Dubai Open final.
The trend of dropping a set continued in the title match against Mikhail Youzhny. Djokovic conceded the second 5-7 before recovering to take a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win and emulate Federer as the only players to win multiple titles at the Dubai Open.
In an otherwise underwhelming season, Dubai would prove to be one of only two tournaments (Beijing being the other) where Djokovic triumphed in 2010.
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