Novak Djoković

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[Damian]

Novak Djokovic Has Roger Federer Finals Record In Sight After “Exhausting” Year | Football News

Spoiler:

Novak Djokovic is ready to cap a draining year at the ATP Finals as he enters the end-of-year tournament with Roger Federer’s all-time wins record firmly in his sights. Recently crowned the season-ending world number one for a record seventh time, Djokovic just missed out on winning all four Grand Slams in a single year. Defeat in the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev in September came after triumphs at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and then Wimbledon. That left him level with both Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam wins, but he will equal his long-time Swiss rival’s record of six Finals titles should he prevail in Turin, where the tournament moved over a decade in London.

He is in good form after overcoming world number two Medvedev in the Paris Masters final last weekend, his first tournament following a near two-month break.

“I haven’t played so much as in previous years in terms of the amount of tournaments but I did have a lot of exhausting events that I played, particularly in grand slams,” Djokovic told reporters.

“When I say exhausting I don’t just mean physically but emotionally and mentally, probably unlike any other year that I’ve had.

“It did take a lot out of me and I just felt like I needed that break in order to rejuvenate and try to get ready for a strong finish to the season.”

World number one Djokovic has been drawn with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud in the Green Group at the November 14-21 tournament, which features the world’s top eight ranked players split equally into two groups from which four players qualify for the semi-finals.

‘Semi-full tank’

The 34-year-old Serb hasn’t won the ATP Finals since 2015 but has neither Federer nor Nadal in his way this year and begins his bid for end-of-season glory against Ruud on Monday afternoon.

“It could be the amount of energy you spend during the season, you maybe don’t have enough in tank for that final push,” said Djokovic as to why his last win was six years ago.

“Playing at the highest level against the top eight players in the world every single match is really high intensity… It could just be the case of a semi-full tank, you’re just not able to perform at your best every match, and that’s what it takes here.”

Djokovic said before the Paris Masters that he would wait for a decision from Tennis Australia regarding players and vaccination status, but made no comment on one of the sport’s hottests issues on Friday.

It looks all but certain that only those players who have been vaccinated will be allowed to compete in the first Grand Slam of the 2022 season which gets underway in Melbourne on January 17.

Medvedev, who takes on Hubert Hurkacz is his opening Red Group match on Sunday, had been coy about whether he would travel to Melbourne, saying he didn’t want to talk about personal medical matters.

But on Tuesday the 25-year-old posted a message on Twitter to the Australian Open’s official account saying “see you in January!”.

Promoted

“If you’re vaccinated you can go, if you’re not you cannot go so that’s the answer,” said Medvedev.

“I decided for all my career… not to talk about medical, it’s not only about the vaccine, it’s anything that comes to my body or my health… The thing about Australia seems clear and as I said before everyone who is there is vaccinated.”

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[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Djokovic Makes Winning Start In Turin

Spoiler:

Serbian moves to 1-0 in Green Group
Novak Djokovic began his bid for a sixth Nitto ATP Finals title with victory on Monday, downing Casper Ruud 7-6(4), 6-2 in Turin to move to 1-0 in Green Group action.

The top seed took an early tumble at the Pala Alpitour, but recovered as he rallied from a break down in the first set, finding his rhythm from the baseline to fire 23 winners to secure victory after 90 minutes.

“I recovered from that fall on that break point in that first game,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “It was very strange. I played a good forehand and came into the net and had a pretty comfortable overhead and I slipped, tripped, dropped my racquet and lost my serve. The conditions here are quite tough. If you lose your serve, it is difficult to get it back. But I managed to stay in. I am very pleased with the way I handled the match.”

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The Serbian, who last lifted the Brad Drewett Trophy in 2015, is aiming to tie Roger Federer’s record six triumphs at the tournament, which is being held in Turin for the first time. Djokovic will also play Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev in the round-robin stage, with the pair facing off in their opening match on Monday evening.

Djokovic arrives in Turin in form, having clinched his record-breaking 37th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Paris at the start of November. By reaching the final in the French capital, the 34-year-old secured the year-end No. 1 FedEx ATP Ranking for a seventh time, eclipsing the mark he previously shared with Pete Sampras.

Earlier this season, the 86-time tour-level titlist came within one victory of completing the Grand Slam. He went 27-1 at the four major championships with trophies at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, before he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the final at the US Open.

You May Also Like: Ram/Salisbury Record 100th Team Match Win
In a tight first set, Ruud made the brighter start, breaking in the first game when Djokovic found the net with a backhand after he stumbled and dropped his racquet during the point. However, the top seed quickly regrouped, breaking back as he hit his groundstrokes with great depth and accuracy to force a tie-break. The Serbian then clinched the 61-minute opening set with a forehand winner down the line.


Fuelled by momentum, Djokovic raced ahead at the start of the second set, as Ruud struggled to hit through the World No. 1. The 34-year-old won 83 per cent (15/18) of his first-serve points in the the set to seal victory. Djokovic has now tied Ivan Lendl for the second-most wins (39) in Nitto ATP Finals history (Federer has 59).

Ruud is making his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, having won an equal-tour-best five titles on the season. The 22-year-old, who is the first Norwegian to compete in the tournament’s 51-year history, was aiming to clinch his first career Top 10 hard-court win.

Did You Know?
Djokovic is attempting to become the oldest Nitto ATP Finals champion and the second player to capture the title after turning 30, alongside Roger Federer. The Swiss star won his sixth title aged 30 in London in 2011.

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[Damian]

Djokovic Presented Year-End No. 1 Trophy At Nitto ATP Finals

Spoiler:

Serbian receives the honour for the seventh time
Novak Djokovic was awarded the year-end ATP Tour No. 1 trophy presented by FedEx on Monday in Turin following his opening win at the Nitto ATP Finals against Casper Ruud.

This is the seventh time the Serbian has earned the honour, passing Pete Sampras for the most year-end No. 1 finishes in the history of the FedEx ATP Rankings (since 1973). Djokovic has also achieved the feat in 2011-12, ’14-15, ’18 and ’20.

You May Also Like: Immersive Feature: At Tennis’ Summit, Novak Stands Alone
The 34-year-old, who won the first three majors of the season at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, is now 49-6 on the season.

Djokovic is pursuing a record-tying sixth Nitto ATP Finals trophy this week, which would level him with Roger Federer for most victories at the season finale. The top seed last triumphed at the year-end championships in 2015 at The O2 in London.

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[Damian]

At Tennis’ Summit, Novak Stands Alone

Spoiler:

By Greg Garber
On match point, the backhand volley from a charging Hubert Hurkacz sliced just wide. Knowing there would be a replay challenge, Novak Djokovic showed no emotion.

When the out call was confirmed in the Rolex Paris Masters semi-final a couple of weeks ago, Djokovic simply raised his arms, racquet in his right hand, a ball in his left. Head down, jaw firmly set, he strode stoically to net. Still, there was no sign of the euphoria that the moment signified.

Finally, after congratulating his opponent and acknowledging the chair umpire, Djokovic thumped his chest three times with his fist and loosed a roar, terrifying in its intensity, a primal scream that seemed to release all the agony and, ultimately, the exquisite ecstasy the 2021 season has brought him.

For a record seventh time, Djokovic was officially the year-end No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Previously, the mark belonged to him and Pete Sampras, who finished as the year-end No. 1 six successive seasons, from 1993-98. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Jimmy Connors each finished on top five times.

“Obviously, it’s a thrilling sensation breaking the record of Pete Sampras, who was my childhood hero growing up,” Djokovic said. “He was the one I looked up to the most, the one that got me going with tennis. At times it seems surreal to really be where I am, and I’m blessed and grateful to be in this position.”

"He’s at the top of Mount Everest, taking the sunshine in a swimming suit."
Goran Ivanisevic
In 49 years, only 26 players have risen to No. 1. The constellation of year-end No. 1s is only 17. Djokovic has logged the most weeks at No. 1 in ATP history, 347 and counting, followed by Federer (310) and Sampras (286).

“I was `The Man’ for those number of years, and he’s been `The Man’ even more so,” Sampras said recently from his home in southern California. “I think he’s been more consistent, he’s won more events, he’s got more majors. I could go on and on talking about his career. I don’t think you will see [seven year-end No. 1s] again.”

Tennis was once the sport of nobles and the aristocracy. As recently as the 20th century, the sport was associated with high-end clubs that had an English-speaking clientele. Growing up in Belgrade, in the country once known as Yugoslavia, Djokovic did not fit that lofty profile. Four years after he was born in 1987, after Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence, the Yugoslav Wars began. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, was a frequent target of NATO bombers.

Djokovic spent his formative years practising tennis in a converted Olympic swimming pool – you can see vestiges of that cramped circumstance in his efficient strokes and compulsion to play on top of the baseline. Sometimes the bomb sirens sent him scrambling off that makeshift court and into the shelters. For a period of several months, when the raids intensified, bombs fell every night. Djokovic tried to take it as a positive; when school was cancelled, there was more time for tennis.

Nine years ago, Djokovic accompanied a CBS 60 Minutes crew for a visit to his old haunts in Belgrade. The war, he said, “made us more hungry, more hungry for the success”.

His coach, Goran Ivanisevic, also grew up in Yugoslavia.

“Generally, all East Bloc players, they’re more hungry – I was more hungry,” he said. “Especially the players from the Balkans. They are very proud. Even with all this fighting, Novak still found a way out.

“That’s what’s pushing him forward. That’s why he became hungry, why he became better. He wanted to do unbelievable things. Look at him now. He’s at the top of Mount Everest, taking the sunshine in a swimming suit.”

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Ayear ago, on the verge of tying Sampras’ record of six year-end No. 1 finishes, Djokovic said in Vienna that finishing No. 1 at the end of the year was one of the hardest things to do in the sport of tennis. It might be one of the most difficult feats in all of sport.

A singles player has no teammates and must defend a space 78 feet by 27 feet, a total of 2,106 square feet (642 square meters). Physically, the three-dimensional playing area requires extraordinary hand-eye coordination, speed and lateral quickness, strength and stamina. Mentally, the game rewards intelligence, toughness, creativity and subtlety.

Talent, consistency, good health – and the ability to rise above injuries both minor and major – are all critical for success in tennis, but you typically can find those qualities in the world’s Top 100 players. To be No. 1 for an entire 11-month season, to weather the exhausting global travel, the vastly different surfaces, the climates and conditions offered in Australia, Europe, North America and Asia, that requires an extraordinary skill set.

Sampras, now 50, says tennis players, as opposed to say, NBA players, don’t get the credit they deserve.

“Unlike those team sports,” Sampras said, “you’re on your own. Mentally, if you’re down in a match, you don’t have anyone to bail you out. Coach can’t tell you what to do. Tennis players have to have the whole package. I also think you need an attitude to stay No. 1. You wanted it, and it bothered you when someone else got it. I think Novak has that.”

And Djokovic has done it seven times in the past 11 seasons – a period when arguably the three best players in the history of men’s tennis populated the game. And while advances in medicine and nutrition have helped to extend the careers of players, it’s worth noting that a 33-year-old Djokovic became the oldest-ever year-end No. 1 in 2020. Now, at the age of 34, he’s extended that standard again.

"You need an attitude to stay No. 1. You wanted it, and it bothered you when someone else got it."
Pete Sampras
After Djokovic tied Sampras with his sixth year-end No. 1 in 2020, ATPTour.com arranged an enlightening conversation between Djokovic and Sampras, moderated by Tim Henman.

“It wasn’t fun, I’ll be honest with you,” Sampras said. “Staying on top of the game, year after year after year, as Novak can understand, it’s very hard to stay No. 1. And to do it six years in a row was, for me, I think was my biggest achievement.”

Djokovic said he believes finishing No. 1 is a paramount achievement.

“The amount of dedication that you need to undergo in your life and the way you have to organise yourself, not just on the court but off the court is tremendous,” he said. “I understand when Pete is talking about not eating well, not sleeping well, having a funny stomach and just maybe a little more difficult relationship with your people who are surrounding you. Sometimes being unbearable to yourself, with the amount of nervousness, stress, butterflies, whatever you want to call them – all the positive, negative emotions, the tornado that is happening inside – and you care so much about it.

“Six years in a row, I don’t know how you did it Pete, but huge, huge respect for that.”

Sampras congratulated Djokovic and slyly left him with this challenging thought: It’s one thing to get there, but it’s twice as hard to stay there.

“I will also keep striving to be a better player,” Djokovic told Sampras, “hopefully have more success and break more records in a sport I love with all my heart.”

ImageImage

And true to his word, that’s precisely what Djokovic did this year, eclipsing Sampras’ record.

For striving is what Djokovic does best. From the beginning of his career, he has relentlessly attacked his weaknesses, turning them into strengths. His second serve is no longer a liability, the forehand, which sometimes broke down under pressure, is nearly infallible, the questionable fitness level that once caused him to bail out of some notable matches might be his greatest asset today. Djokovic’s eating, sleeping and resting habits, honed by experience and research, are the model for a professional athlete. Perhaps his overhead is a little dicey, but it just means he’s actually human.

“Novak was really concentrated, he was always motivated,” Ivanisevic said. “He always finds some kind of motivation. He wants to be better every day. Something was working today, tomorrow this is not good enough – has to be perfect. Those kind of guys, when they step on the court they just want to win, simple as that.”

Like his strategic on-court approach – no one hits his spots like Djokovic – there is a pattern to his No. 1 finishes. Unlike Sampras, when he did it six straight times, Djokovic historically sustains the immense effort for two years at a time. He’s gone back-to-back three times now, in 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2020-21.

After Federer and Nadal combined for seven straight year-end No. 1s, Djokovic broke through in 2011. He won three majors that year, which, since the FedEx ATP Rankings originated in 1973, has been a 100-per cent indicator for finishing on top. Connors, Mats Wilander, Nadal, Federer (3), and Djokovic (3) were 9-for-9 in that respect. Focusing increasingly on majors, as Federer and Nadal have later in their careers, has been the critical factor in Djokovic’s success.

In the seven seasons Djokovic finished No. 1, he won 47 titles, including 14 of his 20 majors and produced a 430-56 win-loss record.

“When you start with an Australian Open win at the beginning of the year, which I’ve been very fortunate to do for nine years, that puts you already in the driver’s seat for the year-end No. 1,” Djokovic said in his interview with the ATP Tour. “Accumulating the most points at the Grand Slams and the Masters 1000 events – that’s what counts the most, so to say. I’ve been lucky to really play my best tennis at the events where I could collect the most points that actually enabled me to be in this position.”

"When you start with an Australian Open win at the beginning of the year...that puts you already in the driver’s seat for the year-end No. 1."
Novak Djokovic
And Djokovic wasn’t far from a few more year-end No. 1 finishes over the past decade. This statistic underlines his incredible consistency: In the four seasons since 2011 that Djokovic didn’t finish No. 1, he placed No. 2 three times.

In 2013, he lost two major semi-finals to Nadal, at Roland Garros and the US Open. In Paris, Rafa closed out a wild match 9-7 in the fifth set. Djokovic lost to Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final, another match that would have been enough capture the year-end No. 1. Three years later, Murray beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the Nitto ATP Finals – the only time in ATP history that year-end No. 1 was on the line for both players in the year-end championship’s last match. In 2019, Djokovic finished only 840 points behind Nadal; falling to Rafa in the Rome final, to Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals of Roland Garros and to Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round of the US Open were all significant defeats.

The only one of the past 11 years when Djokovic didn’t finish inside the Top 2 was 2017, when he wound up at No. 12 – but that year he missed every tournament after Wimbledon because of a right elbow injury.

Sampras is impressed that Djokovic beat Federer and Nadal on their favourite surfaces, on which they are considered the best ever. On the grass at Wimbledon, Djokovic took down Federer in 2014, 2015 and 2019. Similarly, Djokovic won over Nadal in 2015 and 2021 on the red clay at Roland Garros.

“What Novak’s done over the past 10 years – I could give you all the adjectives, I mean, I don’t know what to say,” Sampras said. “He’s willing to change, he’s willing to learn about himself. He’s always looking to get better.

“I’ve been so impressed with his transformation. From being a very talented young athlete, mentally a little fragile, to being where he is today is just pretty cool to see it, just sitting and watching him from the couch.”

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The pursuit of the calendar-year Grand Slam in 2021 left Djokovic exhausted, physically and emotionally. After winning his first 27 matches in majors, he lost the 28th, to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final. Spending quality time with his family, rejuvenating body and soul for nearly two months without competitive tennis, helped him recharge for one last push for No. 1.

“The Grand Slam season I had – three wins and a final – that’s a lot of points, even though I have not played as many tournaments as most of my other rivals,” Djokovic said. “But Medvedev winning the US Open, he was close. I wanted to end the season strong. Historically, I had plenty of success indoors, won the title here in Paris five times. World Tour Finals, as well. So I kind of liked my chances coming into the indoor season finale.”

Ivanisevic, a distinguished former professional himself, played Sampras 18 times in his career. “Going ahead of Pete, he was an amazing tennis player,” Ivanisevic said. “And in this era with Nole chasing those records with the three of them [Federer and Nadal], it’s an unbelievable achievement. I’m proud to be a part of the team and see this from the front row.”

“I’m very pleased with the way I managed to hold everything together and to focus myself only on the next match,” Djokovic said. “Reaching this milestone is something I’ll definitely cherish forever.

“It’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude of all the achievements while you’re still an active player, because you always have to look for the next challenge, the next tournament, so you keep going. I guess that I will be able to enjoy this success a bit more once I stop playing.”

"What Novak’s done over the past 10 years...to me it’s a clear sign that he is the greatest of all time."
Pete Sampras
Sampras’ involvement with the sport today consists of watching televised matches and rallying with his 16-year-old son, Ryan Nikolaos.

“For fun,” Sampras said. “I still enjoy hitting tennis balls. But it comes down to the movement and serving, the body doesn’t quite want to do it.”

He believes Djokovic will wind up with the most majors. That Djokovic came within one win of a Grand Slam – in this age of the Internet, with social media pressure and global coverage – impressed Sampras deeply.

“Seven years, for him, I’m sure he sees it as a bonus to all the majors that he’s won,” Sampras said. “But I think he’ll appreciate it more as he gets older. He did it at a time where he dominated two of the greats, in Roger and Rafa, and he handled the next generation of players very well – all at the same time.

“I do think what Novak’s done over the past 10 years, winning the majors, being consistent, finishing No. 1 for seven years, to me it’s a clear sign that he is the greatest of all time.”

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[DUN I LOVE]

At Tennis’ Summit, Novak Stands Alone

Coś pięknego.

[Damian]

At Tennis’ Summit, Novak Stands Alone

Coś pięknego.

Jeszcze w podpis wrzucił.

[Damian]

Djokovic: ‘Quite Amazing’ To Break Sampras’ Year-End No. 1 Record

Spoiler:

Serbian reflects after 93-minute win over Ruud

Top seed Novak Djokovic made the perfect start to his Nitto ATP Finals campaign, after overpowering debutant Casper Ruud in straight sets. Afterward, the World No. 1 christened the 93-minute victory by lifting his first trophy of the week in Turin – his record breaking seventh year-end ATP Tour No. 1 trophy presented by FedEx.

Djokovic, who is also in the hunt for his sixth Nitto ATP Finals trophy and first in Turin, broke his tie with childhood idol Pete Sampras. Between 1993-98, Sampras ended every season as World No. 1, while Djokovic now owns seven non-consecutive year-end No. 1 finishes.

“It feels amazing. Obviously it feels even better when you win a match and then you get your hands on that trophy that I’ve been blessed to lift seven times in my career,” Djokovic told press on Monday. “One more than Pete Sampras, who was my childhood hero. He was the one that got me going with tennis. The first time that I’ve watched a tennis match was his [1993] Wimbledon final...

“Fast forward to today, it’s quite amazing for me to be in this position. I’m pretty grateful.”

You May Also Like: Djokovic Makes Winning Start In Turin
Before getting his hands on the trophy once again, Djokovic opened his account in Turin with a confident victory over Ruud. The top seed dropped just four points behind his first serve (35/39), and came back from a break down in the tight first set to win 7-6(4), 6-2.

Djokovic attributed his slow start to a combination of facing strong play from his in-form opponent – Ruud has won five titles this year – and needing a few games to adapt to the different conditions in Turin. The ATP’s season finale is being held in the northern Italian city for the first time, after an 12-year stint in London.

How To Watch The 2021 Nitto ATP Finals

“It was a really terrible start, but also funny because I’m still trying to figure out what happened,” Djokovic said with a rueful smile. “Casper started strong. He was serving well. The altitude, fast court, fast balls – it favours big servers. I knew he had a solid serve, but maybe not as good as Medvedev or Zverev.

“He did positively surprise me with this serve, particularly in the first set. I just managed to read it better in the second set. But it was a close one.”

The victory has sent Djokovic to the top of the Green Group, which also includes Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev. Djokovic owns a 6-2 ATP Head2Head record against Tsitsipas, and will be meeting Rublev for the first time.

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[Damian]

Zlatan Visits Novak In Turin

Spoiler:

Football star watched Tsitsipas face Rublev in Turin

Following his opening victory against Casper Ruud at the Nitto ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic was awarded the year-end ATP Tour No. 1 trophy presented by FedEx on Monday in Turin.

This was not the Serbian’s only highlight of the day as after his match, he caught up with football superstar and good friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The pair chatted and took photos at the Pala Alpitour.

Ibrahimovic and Djokovic laughed together and shared stories, before they listened to music, with the World No. 1 singing and throwing his arms up to the beat, while the Swede clapped along.


After their meeting, Ibrahimovic made his way courtside to watch third-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas face Russian Andrey Rublev in Green Group.

Ibrahimovic has enjoyed a standout footballing career, winning 11 league titles and earning 116 caps for Sweden.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/djokovi ... 021-monday

[DUN I LOVE]

@Barty, przyjmij ode mnie na urodziny:


atp tour

[Barty]

Znasz mój stosunek do tego osiągnięcia. Bleeh.

[Kamileki]

@DUN I LOVE @Nando @Kiefer

[Damian]

[Barty]

@DUN I LOVE @Nando @Kiefer

Urodziłby się na Pradze, to by chodził co tydzień na ustawki Żyletę i wszyscy mielibyśmy spokój. To nie, musiała to być waleczna Srbija.

[Kiefer]

Znasz mój stosunek do tego osiągnięcia. Bleeh.

Niestety w tym drugim osiągnięciu resztę stawki również zostawił daleko w tyle.

[Damian]

Djokovic Wins Green Group, Records 50th Victory Of 2021

Spoiler:

World No. 1 now 2-0 in round-robin play, meets Norrie on Friday
Novak Djokovic qualified for the semi-finals at the Nitto ATP Finals with his 50th match win of the year on Wednesday afternoon. The World No. 1, chasing a record-equalling sixth trophy at the season finale, won Green Group play at the Pala Alpitour in Turin with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over fifth seed Andrey Rublev.

With Daniil Medvedev winning the Red Group on Tuesday, a possible World No. 1 versus No. 2 final is on the cards come 21 November.

Through to his 10th semi-final at the Nitto ATP Finals (40-16 match record), the seven-time year-end No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, will look to carry his momentum into Friday’s round-robin match against British alternate Cameron Norrie, who has replaced Stefanos Tsitsipas (right elbow) in the elite field.

Looking ahead to Friday's match against Norrie, Djokovic said, "I always like playing new players, particularly in one of the greatest tournaments in the world here in Turin. Cameron deserves to be here, it’s not lucky. He worked his way to Turin with great wins in Indian Wells and some other tournaments, so it will be fun to watch him tonight against Ruud and I’ll get ready for my next match.”

Djokovic, who has won his past six matches, was ruthlessly efficient and never let Rublev get to grips with his serve, winning 34 of 48 deliveries in their first ATP Head2Head meeting. The match lasted 68 minutes.

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Rublev was unable to capitalise on an early service break and by the fifth game Djokovic had settled, getting out of trouble with a trademark blow, an inch-perfect backhand winner down the line. It was very much first-strike tennis and through six games, only one point had gone over nine strokes.

Djokovic largely directed play away from Rublev’s forehand, the Russian’s biggest weapon, and reaped the reward when the World No. 1 drew Rublev to the net and broke for a 5-3 advantage with a backhand crosscourt winner. After his first-game wobble, Djokovic served with greater confidence and closed out the 36-minute opener with an ace, having won 88 per cent of his first-service points in the set.

“I knew that I had to be on my toes and start well," said Djokovic. "I dropped my serve again like in the first match [against Casper Ruud]. It was quite a nervous start from both of us until 4-3, then with new balls I somehow managed to find the right shots at the right time. I made him play, crucially on the break point at 4-3, when I managed to strike a good passing shot. Winning the first set I put additional pressure on him, and I started to maybe play more consistently from the back of the court. I served well [and] that helped tremendously. I wanted to put him out of his comfort zone, taking away the time and mix up the pace. It was a great performance overall.”

Rublev, who’d played a World No. 1 on two previous occasions (Andy Murray at the 2017 Australian Open and Rafael Nadal at the 2017 US Open), appeared to rush in his attempt to close out points quickly against one of the all-time great defenders. Djokovic soon made a breakthrough in the second set, and it was his athleticism and ability to chase down every ball, that put Rublev under extreme pressure at 1-1. The Serbian star broke serve again at 4-2 and didn't look back as he completed his 40th match win at the Nitto ATP Finals with his 14th ace.

The World No. 1 is now 50-6 on the season, having gone 27-1 in major championship play with title runs at the Australian Open (d. Medvedev), Roland Garros (d. Tsitsipas) and Wimbledon (d. Berrettini). The 34-year-old, who came within one match of the Grand Slam with a US Open final run (l. to Medvedev), has also won titles at the Serbia Open in Belgrade (d. Molcan) in May and also at the Rolex Paris Masters (d. Medvedev) two weeks ago.

Rublev, who won his first Green Group match on Monday against Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4, had also been attempting to earn his 50th match win of 2021 (now 49-21). He will play Ruud on Friday.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/djokovi ... -wednesday