Events / Editor / 18 March 2007 /

It must be every 19-year-old tennis prospect's dream to play in a major or a Masters Series final.

Trouble is for Andy Murray, it's the wrong 19-year-old. The Scot, one win away from his first really big final, went down in straight games to Novak Djokovic, the Serbian who was born just a week after the 13th seed from Dunblane.

Whichever one of them had won last night in Indian Wells, it was to be their first Masters final later today (Sun). And there was more than just the Masters glory at stake at this Pacific Life Open Championships.

The 6-2 6-3 victory is almost certain to catapult Djokovic into the world's top 10 for the first time in tomorrow's (Monday) new rankings - as it would have done for Murray had he prevailed.

Djokovic is the first teenager to reach the Indian Wells final since Andre Agassi in 1990 and he is trying to become the first teenager to win the title since Boris Becker in 1987.

Twelfth seed Djokovic said: "I reached and achieved my goal for this year and will just try to remain in the top 10 until the end the year. But I think I have enough quality to go for the higher goals."

In the final he will meet second seed Rafael Nadal, the 20-year-old left-hander who beat third seed Andy Roddick 6-4 6-3.
The win emphasised Nadal's return to form. He has not won a title since the French Open last June at Roland Garros in Paris. But he has remained in the world's No 2 spot.

And the way he despatched American Roddick shows he is getting back to his best as he reached his first final since Wimbledon after a 74-minute duel.

Nadal never looked back from the moment he broke the American's serve at the third opportunity at 2-2 in the first set. These were the first break points Roddick had offered in the Indian Wells fortnight.
The 20-year-old broke Roddick again at the start of the second set and finished the match by taking four points on Roddick's serve.

No wonder Nadal said: "I think it's my best match of the season, my best form for the last six months."

Djokovic was playing in his first Masters Series semi-final and he needed just one hour to beat Murray, who had needed to overcome an ankle injury in saving two match points to beat Tommy Haas in the quarter-finals. Now he will need to get it right in time for this week's Masters Series event in Miami, starting on Thursday.

Of the final Djokovic said: "It's going to mean a lot for me, for my confidence, and gives me another motivation because I have reached the finals of huge tournament with all the best players in the world playing on it."

So who will win, the Serbian who will be 20 on May 22 or the Spaniard who will be 21 on June 3?
There is little form from head-to-head results to go on. They have met just once and Djokovic was forced to retire with a back injury in their quarter-final clash at Roland Garros last June.

Of their form at Indian Wells, both have yet to drop a set. Djokovic is thinking positively. Although he knows he's up against the world No 2, he says: "I will be trying to win." He won't allow himself to be overawed by the occasion.
But Nadal has been here before. It will be his seventh ATP Masters final and his only defeat was in a five setter against Roger Federer in Miami in 2005.

And he is due a title. Nadal has gone 12 tournaments without one - and that's his longest run since it took him 24 tournaments to win his first back in 2004.

Betfair have Nadal trading at 1.4 to win in Indian Wells with Djokovic at 3.4.
Federer, who dropped just one set on the way to last year's final, beat American James Blake 7-5 6-3 6-0 to take the title.
Check Betfair's Set Betting odds on Nadal winning in straight sets or on Djokovic pulling off a surprise win in three sets ahead of their High Noon (7pm GMT) California shootout.

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