Novak Djokovic leaves Fish floundering to claim Indian Wells title

MARDY Fish's remarkable run in the Pacific Life Open came to an end with defeat to Novak Djokovic in the final at Indian Wells.

The world number three beat Fish 6-2 5-7 6-3 to avoid the same fate that befell Roger Federer in the semi-final.

Djokovic followed up his own semi-final rout of Rafael Nadal by halting a magnificent week by Fish, who defeated three top-10 opponents, including the world number one.

Fish did not succumb easily, rallying from a 4-2 deficit in the second set by breaking the Serb twice to force a decisive third set.

Djokovic, though, broke the unseeded American in the second game for a 2-0 lead en route to his second title of the year after his maiden grand slam at the Australian Open.

It was the second straight appearance in the final for Djokovic, who lost to Nadal a year ago.

The loss denied Fish his third career title and first since Houston last year.

During his improbable run to the final here, Fish reeled off victories over number 31 Igor Andreev, fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt, world number seven David Nalbandian and Federer.

Ranked 98th in the world, Fish handed Federer his heaviest defeat since the Swiss superstar became world number one 215 weeks ago.

It also halted Federer's 41-match winning streak against Americans, dating to a loss against Andy Roddick in August 2003.

Djokovic improved to 2-0 lifetime against Fish, having also beaten him at the US Open in 2006.

Djokovic's win made it a Serbian double after top seed Ana Ivanovic beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 6-3 to take the women's title.