Novak Djokovic AP FILE PHOTO
BEIJING — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic won his fifth China Open title in dominating fashion Sunday, routing third-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-0, 6-2.
Djokovic was one point away from handing Berdych a “double bagel” — a 6-0, 6-0 defeat — but the Czech player fought off match point, then broke Djokovic to win his first game and raise both arms in celebration.
The Serb improved his sparkling record at the China Open to 24-0.
On the women’s side, Maria Sharapova outlasted Petra Kvitova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in a hard-hitting, back-and-forth duel to win her fourth title of the year and return to No. 2 in the rankings.
Sharapova overcame 10 double-faults and a number of untimely errors to defeat Kvitova in a rematch of the 2011 Wimbledon final, won by the Czech left-hander.