World No. 2 Novak Djokovic on Saturday defeated Andy Murray in a three-set thriller Qatar Open final, thus bringing the Briton's 28-match winning streak to an end in Doha.
Djokovic beat Murray 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a high-quality, action-packed match that lasted for almost three hours.
"Definitely one of the best ways to start a year," Djokovic was quoted as saying by Sport24 immediately after his victory.
"I had three or four match points in the second set, he turned it around and I thought: Wow! I hope this isn't payback time!"
"He was close... all the way to the last shot you never know with Andy," he added.
It was a perfect tonic for the Serb in his buildup to the defence of his Australian Open title in Melbourne this month and provided food for thought for Murray, who lost for the 25th time against his old rival.
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