"Today you have shown all your class and FairPlay"- Patrick Mouratoglou credits Novak Djokovic for his fighting spirit in his loss to Holger Rune at Bercy
Holger Rune capped off an unbelievable week where he defeated five Top 10 players, including 21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the final to win his first Masters 1000 Final at Bercy.
Patrick Mouratoglou, coach of the 19-year-old Rune, congratulated him on the achievement but also credited Djokovic for putting up a tough fight.
He took to social media to reveal that Djokovic showed everyone during the match why he is one of the greatest players of all time. Mouratoglou wrote on Instagram:
"Finally, Novak Djokovic, you are one of the best if not the best player in the history of the game, and today you have shown all your class and FairPlay. Iām sure there will be many more battles to come in the future!"
He further mentioned that he was amazed by the ability and fighting spirit of Holger Rune in the last four weeks:
"Holger Rune, I am amazed by your determination, passion for the game and fighting spirit. These 4 weeks have shown all your qualities and potential to the world. I feel blessed to be part of your team. This Team that I want to thank for such an incredible vibe."
"Of course, I'm disappointed with the loss today, but I was very close"- Novak Djokovic
In his post-match press conference, the Serbian mentioned that he was disappointed to not emerge victorious in the match and claimed that only a few points decided the outcome of the match. Novak Djokovic said:
"Of course, I'm disappointed with the loss today, but I was very close. It was just very few points that decided a winner. But the level of tennis that I'm playing is high, and I like my chances. You know, of course every match is like finals there."
He continued:
"You know, there is no easy matches. You've got to be fit, fresh. Good thing is that you have a day between every match in the group stage, so you have time to recover between each match, which is good."
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Congratulations @holgerrune2003 and to your team. As always, thank you Paris for an amazing experience! Merci beaucoup! šš¼ā¤ļø https://t.co/LJAQ4MBCl6
Novak Djokovic will next feature in the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. He revealed that he is looking forward to competing in the event and will fly there a few days early:
"Let's see. You know, I played there last year. Played really good tennis. Played semis, tight match against Zverev, who was eventual champion. I'll be there some days before to train, and hopefully be at my best."