"One of the best seasons I've had in my life, no doubt" - Novak Djokovic ecstatic after beating Jannik Sinner to clinch record 7th ATP Finals title
Novak Djokovic, who capped off a phenomenal year by clinching a record seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday, November 19, described the 2023 season as "one of the best" he has ever had.
Djokovic defeated Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3 in straight sets in the title-round of the season finale in Turin. He had earlier won the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open titles this season, along with Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati and Paris.
The Serb will also finish the year as the top-ranked men's tennis player and the first from either gender to reach the 400-week milestone atop the world rankings.
"Very special. One of the best seasons I've had in my life no doubt. To crown it with a win against a home-town hero, Jannik Sinner, who has played amazing tennis this week is phenomenal," said Djokovic after the win.
Novak Djokovic asserted that he was proud of his performances over the last couple of days, which involved straight-sets wins over both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic, who lost to Sinner in the group stages, further revealed that he played differently from a tactical standpoint agaisnt the local hero in the final.
"I am very proud of the performances over the last two days against (Carlos) Alcaraz and (Jannik) Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and (Daniil) Medvedev at the moment. The way they had been playing I had to step it up," he stated.
"I had to win the matches and not wait for them to hand me victory and that is what I've done. I have tactically played differently today than I have in the group stages against Jannik. Overall, a phenomenal week," Novak Djokovic explained.
Novak Djokovic went down to Sinner 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) in their round-robin clash before exacting revenge in the final.
Novak Djokovic tilts the scales against Jannik Sinner in title-round of ATP Finals
Jannik Sinner never looked like repeating his group stage heroics against Novak Djokovic as the Serb silenced the vociferous Turin crowd after racing away to a 5-2 lead in less than 30 minutes of the opening set.
After losing the first set, the second began in the worst possible for manner for the 22-year-old, as he was broken right away before Djokovic held serve to go up 2-0.
Sinner managed to gain a foothold with a hold of serve under pressure to reduce the deficit to 1-2. The Italian had a chance to break his opponent's serve with the score at 2-3 as Djokovic dropped his level a bit, but the 36-year-old managed to claw his way back for a vital hold.
A marathon 16-minute game involving eight deuces then ensued with the score at 4-2 before the World No. 4 thwarted the Serb's attempt, much to the delight of the local spectators.
Both players made some costly errors, with Djokovic missing an easy volley in the eighth game of the set. Sinner, however, failed to take his chances, which left him needing to hold serve to stay in the match with the score at 5-3.
A double fault from Sinner finally handed Djokovic his 98th career title, as the World No. 1 closed in on Jimmy Connors' record 109 ATP Tour titles.