TENNIS in DEPTH.

Roger Federer missed out on a fourth successive Swiss Indoors title when he lost to third-ranked Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday.

The Serbian won 6-4 4-6 6-2 to record his third win over Federer in five meetings this year.

Federer, who had not dropped a set or lost a service game on his way to the final, had his serve broken four times as he lost a final for the third time this year, following defeats at the Australian and U.S. Open.

The match featured an extraordinary 10th game in the first set where Federer saved six set points and Djokovic saved five break points before the Serbian wrapped up the game at the seventh attempt. The third and deciding set was unusual as for the first time in memory Federer looked tired! His movement around the court was laboured and half a step slower than his norm. It seems obvious that his 8 week lay-off has not done much for him except make him unprepared for top quality tennis.

Andy Murray on the other hand looked comparetively sharp as he picked up his sixth title of the year and the 14th of his career with a comprehensive victory over Mikhail Youzhny at the inaugural Valencia Open.

The world number four, playing in his first tournament for nearly two months after recovering from a wrist injury, looked impressive throughout in a 6-3 6-2 win over the Russian.

Murray, whose last title came at the Masters event in Canada in August, can now celebrate winning six titles in one season for the first time in his career.

The pair had met only once before, in St Petersburg in 2007, with Murray winning in three sets before going on to take the title.

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