Defending champion Novak Djokovic let slip his commanding lead when the rain-delayed Dubai final resumed Sunday but steadied to beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. Djokovic reversed the result of his semi-final meeting with Youzhny in the Rotterdam semi-finals two weeks ago.

World No. 2 Djokovic had a grueling run to the title, rallying from a set down against Marcos Baghdatis (semis), Ivan Ljubicic (quarters) and Viktor Troicki (second round) before going three sets for the fourth consecutive match against Youzhny in the final.

Appearing in his first final of the year, the Serb won his 17th career title. He became  the second player in tournament history (since 1993) to win back-to-back titles. (Roger Federer won three in a row from 2003-05.)

Djokovic won $383,000 and collected 500 South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings points; Youzhny, who slipped to 5-9 in ATP World Tour finals, took $180,000 and 300 points.

Djokovic said that defending a title for the first time in his career – particularly when he did not play his best tennis at times – demonstrated significant maturity in his game and mental approach. “It means the whole world to me. Of course there are always people who are saying he can't do it. He can't do it. But I'm playing for myself, and this is another success in my career that I wasn't able to make in the last two years. But now, finally, I did it, and it's a big relief. So in the future I just hope I'll make a couple more of those.

“It's a big boost because I believe in myself. Even when I play bad, I know I have the abilities… Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end.”

When play was abandoned Saturday night due to torrential rain, Djokovic held a commanding 7-5, 2-0 lead. At the resumption of play in much brighter conditions on Sunday afternoon, Youzhny immediately pressed to recoup the service break, breaking back in the fifth game with a sizzling backhand winner up the line.

The turning point in the set came in the eighth game. Djokovic had a point to secure a 5-3 lead, but over hit his forehand into the open court and Youzhny made him pay in the following game as he broke serve to secure a 5-4 lead. The Russian was denied by Djokovic the first time he served for the set, but immediately broke the Serbian’s serve again and at the second time of asking leveled the match with a love service game.

In the third set, after digging himself of a 15/40 hole at 3-3, Djokovic broke Youzhny in the following game to take a stranglehold on the match.

Djokovic quipped that fans who watched his matches – including those who showed up Sunday when the match could easily have finished quickly in straight sets – got value for money.

“Obviously this tournament I don't allow myself to win in straight sets except the first round. Even when I can finish the job in two sets, I still want to play. Thinking about people who bought tickets and want to stay a bit longer (laughing).

“But, generally, it took a lot of energy for me. Stopping and playing, and coming back and then again stopping the match last night because of the rain. As I was saying, if we continued last night, I think I had much better chances to get the job done in two sets. I felt really well on the court, hitting the ball, feeling relaxed. Today I was really nervous before the match, during the match for no reason. [But] winning the tournament in any way, it's a huge success.”

Youzhny said that he had mixed feelings about finishing runner-up in Dubai for the second time. "Before the tournament if you say you'll play the final, you say good result. But now straight after the final, when you have some chances [I am disappointed]… It was good match for me.  It was a good level of tennis. I'm disappointed because I lost, but I'm happy because it was a good level of game.

“It was a very close set. Today I understand I have to try to play aggressive, maybe more aggressive than normal if I want to continue, if I want to save this match."

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