by Steve Flink

If the BNP Paribas Masters event in Paris demonstrated one inescapable fact above and beyond anything else, it was this: as another long and exacting season draws near to a conclusion, predicting the fate of the leading players is an unenviable task. Consider what happened at this tournament, which was the ninth and last Masters 1000 tournament of 2009. Out went world No. 1 Roger Federer in a startling second round meeting with world No. 49 Julien Benneteau. On the same day, Rafael Nadal somehow survived five match points to oust Nicolas Almagro. Later that night, No. 4 seed Andy Murray was pushed close to his outer limits before stopping a seemingly resurgent James Blake in a final set tie-break.

It was that kind of a week. The favorites were never far from jeopardy. Close observers of the sport were following it all with some bewilderment and an awful lot of intrigue. All of the players seemed to sense that it was a time to strike up opportunities, a moment to seize the initiative, a chance to step up and be counted. But when all was said and done, some order was plainly restored as the game’s most successful player since the U.S. Open added not only weight to his reputation, but also collected his first Masters 1000 crown of the year and his fifth tournament win of the season. Novak Djokovic--- who has now been victorious in 18 of his last 19 matches and ten in a row--- garnered his third championship trophy in his last four tournaments, a substantial feat that will send him into the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a clear sense that he should not doubt his chances to defend that esteemed title.

In the final at Paris on the indoor hard courts, Djokovic seemed headed for a decisive triumph. He had crushed Nadal 6-2, 6-3 the day before with the best two sets I have ever seen him string together. Displaying the same kind of panache at the outset of his contest with the charismatic Gael Monfils, the 22-year-old Serbian was a joy to behold. He moved his first serve around skillfully, took calculated risks with daring second serves, and was unstoppable off the ground. His two-handed backhand was sharp and punishing, both down the line and crosscourt. But it was off the forehand wing that he took utter control of the match.

more »