Djokovic wins rain-delayed China Open final

The 2009 champion took advantage of the 3-1 first set lead he had opened before torrential rain ended play on Sunday to extend his tenure on the title.

“China is definitely a special place for me,” the 23-year-old said as he received the gold China Open Cup.

After smog blighted much of the tournament and rain forced it into an extra day, the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist expressed his intent to end proceedings quickly and catch his rescheduled flight to the Shanghai Open as he roared his way through the rest of the first set, breaking a jaded Ferrer twice.

The eighth-seeded Spaniard staged a revival in the second set, sending the Serb scuttling across the baseline in vain to open a 4-2 lead, but any belief among the small crowd that a three set thriller was in store were summarily doused by a fired-up Djokovic.

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, who will become world number one when the rankings are released later on Monday, is due to play Russian second seed Vera Zvonareva in the postponed women’s showpiece later.