The 23-year-old Djokovic continued his torrid start to the season Sunday, extending his match win streak to a perfect 18-0.
Djokovic, who took over the No. 2 world ranking by beating Roger Federer in the semi-finals, has looked invincible this season and Sunday was no different as he rallied to blitz Nadal in a 37-minute third set on center court.
Nadal was totally dominant early in the match, winning 18 of 23 points on serve and the pressure told on Djokovic as a solitary break earned the Spaniard the opening set.
The second set seemed likely to follow a similar path as Nadal started confidently, but Djokovic found a foothold with a break of serve in the fifth game. Losing his serve seemed to spark Nadal into action as a superb lob and a drilled forehand down the line set up the opening and Djokovic let him through with a poor double fault.
Just when it appeared the momentum Djokovic had built up would be wasted, he broke back once again and on this occasion it proved decisive. But it was not easy for the Serb to close out the second set as he squandered five set points but sealed it at the sixth attempt as Nadal flashed a backhand an inch wide.
Djokovic charged out of the blocks in the final set and broke in the first and third games to establish a stranglehold. The expected Nadal fightback failed to materialise as in the face of a barrage from Djokovic his groundstrokes failed him.
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