"If he doesn't win, I'll still finish with a win" - Novak Djokovic rules out rooting for Jannik Sinner against Holger Rune at ATP Finals
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has said he will not root for Jannik Sinner despite his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals semifinals depending on the Italian.
The Serb finished the round-robin stage in Turin by defeating Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1. He now has two wins out of three fixtures.
Alexander Zverev had earlier claimed that he would be Daniil Medvedev's "No. 1 fan" when he took on Carlos Alcaraz, as a win for the Russian would increase his own chances of reaching the semifinals. Djokovic was asked if he would do a similar thing when Jannik Sinner faced Holger Rune, since a victory for the Italian would ensure him a place in the ATP Finals knockouts.
Djokovic, however, replied in the negative. He also said he would end the season with a win even if Jannik Sinner lost, and that he would look forward to the Davis Cup with Serbia.
"No, I will not be his fan. If he wins, I'll qualify. If he doesn't, I'll still finish the season with a win and look to Davis Cup," the Serb said in a post-match press conference.
Djokovic was also asked how he felt about knowing that his semifinal qualification was not fully dependent on himself. He responded that his sole focus was on winning his match.
He also said he was thinking about hugging his kids rather than Jannik Sinner's match against Holger Rune.
"I was focused to win the match, so I did. The outcome of tonight's match is not in my hands, so... That's it. I'm really not thinking about it. I'm just thinking about hugging my kids at the moment," the Serb said.
Novak Djokovic says he "probably" won't watch Jannik Sinner-Holger Rune clash
Novak Djokovic was also asked whether he would watch the upcoming match between Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune or just have a nice dinner.
The Serb replied that he would recover, spend time with his kids and go for dinner. He said he probably wouldn't watch the match between the two youngsters, but would just follow the score.
"I don't know. They're priority for me now. I'll do some recovery, spend time with them, probably go for dinner. I probably won't see the match. Just follow the score," Djokovic said.
If the Serb qualifies for the semifinals at the ATP Finals, he will take on the winner of the Red Group.