World no. 1, Novak Djokovic, secured a historic seventh ATP Finals title by defeating hometown favorite Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Reflecting on his remarkable season, Djokovic, who also clinched his 24th Major title this year said that it was the best season of his life without a doubt. Notably, he won three Grand Slam titles this year and missed the Wimbledon title by a whisker, losing in the finals.
Speaking from Turin after the match, Djokovic shared his pride in conquering the hometown hero, stating, “Victory against a local hero. He played great tennis this week.” Despite Jannik’s outstanding performance the entire week and his home-court advantage, Djokovic stressed the importance of overcoming the crowd interference.
He further added, “I’m very proud of the performances these last two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and Medvedev at the moment.”
What a way to end the season 🙌#NittoATPFinals | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/LqSvH4Y1C9
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 19, 2023
Acknowledging the challenges posed by the boisterous Italian crowd, Djokovic stated, “It wasn’t easy to play in front of an audience like this, they interrupted me between the serves, there was everything there, but I got out and that’s the most important.”
Djokovic highlighted the need to step up in the face of adversity, rejecting any passive approach to victory. He said that he couldn’t wait for the match to be handed to him instead he played proactively to achieve his goal. The finale showcased Djokovic’s mighty mental strength backed up by his skills on the court. It led him to break Roger Federer’s record of 6 titles at the ATP Finals.
Novak Djokovic’s commanding performance in ATP Finals triumph over Jannik Sinner
In a stellar display at the ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic outclassed Jannik Sinner with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in Turin. In a rematch against Sinner, Djokovic showcased improved form, especially in handling the Italian’s serve, a challenge he had faced with in their previous group encounter. Djokovic swiftly took control, breaking Sinner on his first break point in the fourth game to establish a 3-1 lead.
Djokovic altered his strategy from his round-robin match with Sinner, by reducing reliance on his backhand and allowing his forehand to take center stage. In the final, he unleashed a barrage of forehands, extracting errors from Sinner and dictating play from the baseline. The statistics reflected the change, with Djokovic’s forehand groundstroke speed surpassing Sinner’s in the early stages of the match.
The Serbian maestro’s serving prowess was on full display as he breezed through his service games, delivering seven aces compared to Sinner’s three, securing the first set in just 39 minutes. While Sinner fought to stay in the match, Djokovic maintained composure, facing a brief challenge in the second set when Sinner earned two break points, however, he couldn’t convert them.
Breaking down the championship match 🏆 @andyroddick @NickKyrgios @Steve_Weissman and Jim Courier talk about the final between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. #TCLive pic.twitter.com/70gxTMu5uI
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 19, 2023
Djokovic’s powerful serves and strategic play allowed him to weather the storm, securing a 98th ATP Tour title, the match ending in an anti-climax with a double fault from Sinner. Djokovic’s victory underlined his dominance and marked a remarkable conclusion to the ATP Finals and a phenomenal 2023 season.