<p class="title rtejustify">Novak Djokovic ended a career-long jinx, lifting the trophy in Cincinnati at last to complete a matched set of Masters 1000 titles.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic, who came up empty in five prior Cincinnati finals, defeated seven-time winner Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the final.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The former world number one became the first man to win all nine of the ATP's Masters 1000 events in the elite series' current configuration.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer, meanwhile, lost a final in the hardcourt US Open tuneup for the first time.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I played five finals (here) before, and most of those finals I lost to this great man, Roger ... thank you for letting me win here once in Cincinnati," Djokovic joked.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"This is a dream come true," Djokovic said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I finally won Cincinnati after six finals, some against the greatest ever, Roger."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, said his game wasn't sharp -- but he didn't want to take anything away from Djokovic's achievement.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Novak is a great champion," Federer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"This is about him making history."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer's streak of 100 straight unbroken service games in Cincy was ended by Djokovic in the seventh game of the first set.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The 37-year-old Swiss had been aiming for a 99th career trophy, but was unable to get over the line due in part to four double-faults at the most inopportune of times, but he said his return game was also lacking.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"It was definitely not my best day on the return - it was just awful," Federer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Missing every second serve on the forehand side, I don't know what that was about.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"But I don't even want to look for reasons why it happened," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Novak totally deserved to win today. This (effort) was not good enough.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Good week, but I'm happy it's over and I need to rest," added Federer, his eye on the US Open starting in New York in eight days.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic claimed the opening set in 37 minutes and came back from an early break in the second to overhaul his longtime rival as they played for the 46th time.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><strong>'Wonderful feeling'</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The Serb now leads Federer 24-22 and has won their last three encounters.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The pair had not played since the 2016 Australian Open semi-finals more than two and a half years ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Wimbledon champion Djokovic claimed his Masters record on his first match point and now heads to the US Open as a title favourite after a string of sub-par seasons and an elbow injury which required surgery.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"It's a wonderful feeling. it's been a couple of tough months for me with an injury and then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati," Djokovic said. Federer started the match with three aces in the opening game, then added a pair of love games for a 3-2 lead.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">But it began to unravel as the Swiss double-faulted to yield a breakpoint, dropping serve as Djokovic moved ahead 4-3.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic took advantage for a 5-3 lead and closed out the set after 37 minutes.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set but gave the break back immediately as he double-faulted to give Djokovic a break point which the Serb promptly converted.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic broke again to lead 4-3, and after Federer held to close the gap to 4-5 Djokovic ended the afternoon in the next game on his first match point.</p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Novak Djokovic ended a career-long jinx, lifting the trophy in Cincinnati at last to complete a matched set of Masters 1000 titles.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic, who came up empty in five prior Cincinnati finals, defeated seven-time winner Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the final.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The former world number one became the first man to win all nine of the ATP's Masters 1000 events in the elite series' current configuration.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer, meanwhile, lost a final in the hardcourt US Open tuneup for the first time.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I played five finals (here) before, and most of those finals I lost to this great man, Roger ... thank you for letting me win here once in Cincinnati," Djokovic joked.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"This is a dream come true," Djokovic said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I finally won Cincinnati after six finals, some against the greatest ever, Roger."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, said his game wasn't sharp -- but he didn't want to take anything away from Djokovic's achievement.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Novak is a great champion," Federer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"This is about him making history."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer's streak of 100 straight unbroken service games in Cincy was ended by Djokovic in the seventh game of the first set.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The 37-year-old Swiss had been aiming for a 99th career trophy, but was unable to get over the line due in part to four double-faults at the most inopportune of times, but he said his return game was also lacking.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"It was definitely not my best day on the return - it was just awful," Federer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Missing every second serve on the forehand side, I don't know what that was about.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"But I don't even want to look for reasons why it happened," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Novak totally deserved to win today. This (effort) was not good enough.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Good week, but I'm happy it's over and I need to rest," added Federer, his eye on the US Open starting in New York in eight days.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic claimed the opening set in 37 minutes and came back from an early break in the second to overhaul his longtime rival as they played for the 46th time.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><strong>'Wonderful feeling'</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The Serb now leads Federer 24-22 and has won their last three encounters.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The pair had not played since the 2016 Australian Open semi-finals more than two and a half years ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Wimbledon champion Djokovic claimed his Masters record on his first match point and now heads to the US Open as a title favourite after a string of sub-par seasons and an elbow injury which required surgery.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"It's a wonderful feeling. it's been a couple of tough months for me with an injury and then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati," Djokovic said. Federer started the match with three aces in the opening game, then added a pair of love games for a 3-2 lead.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">But it began to unravel as the Swiss double-faulted to yield a breakpoint, dropping serve as Djokovic moved ahead 4-3.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic took advantage for a 5-3 lead and closed out the set after 37 minutes.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Federer broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set but gave the break back immediately as he double-faulted to give Djokovic a break point which the Serb promptly converted.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic broke again to lead 4-3, and after Federer held to close the gap to 4-5 Djokovic ended the afternoon in the next game on his first match point.</p>