Novak Djokovic's ATP Finals SF qualification chances depending on Jannik Sinner despite final group match win
Novak Djokovic ended his 2023 ATP Finals' round-robin campaign with a battling three-set win over Hubert Hurkacz, who was given a late entry into the tournament following Stefanos Tsitispas' injury earlier this week.
The Serb's 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1 win, however, was not enough to secure a spot in the semifinals and he will now need to rely on the other group result — requiring Jannik Sinner to beat Holger Rune — to progress further in the tournament.
Both players started the match out strong, with neither facing a single breakpoint during the entire first set.
Hurkacz played the flashier game on serve, thundering down 10 aces in comparison to Novak Djokovic's three. His opponent, however, was just as clinical when landing the first delivery — winning 17/23 points for a solid 74% win percentage.
More importantly, the Serb managed to pick his game up just at the right moment in tiebreaker. He surged into an early lead and shut the door on the opening set by taking the shooutout 7-1.
Just when the Serb looked primed for sealing a spot in the semifinals, however, his opponent found an extra gear.
The second set started in the pretty much the same fashion, with both players holding serve with ease. Then came the all-important break of serve in the fifth game, with the Pole pouncing on the first opportunity that came his way.
Leading 3-2, Hurkacz consolidated the break of serve to open a two-game cushion in the scoreline. The Serb was quick to react as he again lifted his game, especially on return, generating two breakpoints over the remainder of the set.
Top-drawer serving from Hurkacz, however, managed to keep his opponent at bay. The Pole ended the set with another brilliant display on serve, winning an unbeaten 15/15 first serve points won.
Novak Djokovic fails to secure straight sets-win in ATP Finals contest against Hubert Hurkacz
Novak Djokovic, unable to get the job done in straight sets, in now at the mercy of other results. That, however, did not stop the Serb from going into overdrive and taking the final set 6-1.
To make it to the knockouts, the World No. 1 now needs Jannik Sinner to beat Holger Rune, who also has one match win to his name thanks to a retirement from Tsitispas.
Djokovic had beaten Rune in a topsy-turvy three-set contest to open his ATP Finals campaign on a high. He did, however, succumb to a similar three-set loss to Sinner in the next match.
If Rune were to beat Sinner later on Thursday, both he and Djokovic will have two match wins to show for. The Dane’s win over Tsitsipas, however, will count as a straight-set victory and put him one spot ahead of the World No. 1 in the group standings.