MX23RW : Tuesday, April 23 18:00:12| >> :600:332188267:332188267:

Novak Djokovic praises "big fighter" Juan Martin del Potro

Novak Djokovic admits that he was pushed hard by Juan Martin del Potro during the Shanghai Masters final.

Novak Djokovic has conceded that he was given a tough time by Juan Martin del Potro during this afternoon's Shanghai Masters final.

The Serbian claimed the first set 6-1, but Del Potro responded with a 6-3 success to force a decider, which went to a tie-breaker.

Djokovic eventually emerged victorious 7-3, but the 26-year-old has insisted that it had been an "even match".

"He's a fantastic player and a great person. He showed that again. He has a really likable personality [and] he's a big fighter," Djokovic said during his post-match press conference.

"All the way up to the last point, I didn't know if I was going to win the match. It was a very even match. My motivation is there always, especially when I'm playing finals of such a big event."

The victory earned Djokovic around £450,000 in prize money.

ID:110946: cacheID:110946:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:1837:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Novak Djokovic in action against Rafael Nadal during the US Open men's singles final on September 9, 2013
Read Next:
Live Commentary: Djokovic vs. Del Potro - as it happened
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!