Watch: Novak Djokovic catches Stefanos Tsitsipas unawares with stunning cross-court drop shot at ATP Finals 2022
Novak Djokovic kickstarted his ATP Finals campaign on Monday (November 14) with a victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic won in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(4), hitting some of his finest shots in the process. The former World No. 1 clearly brought his A-game right from the start of the match.
Djokovic led one game to love when it was Tsitsipas’ turn to serve. During his first service game, the Greek hit a well-timed drop shot that looked like a sure winner. But he was caught unawares as Djokovic raced to the net and slid, hitting back with a stunning cross-court drop shot that fully showcased his skill and class.
The squeak of the shoes. The slide. THE SHOT.
@DjokerNole THINGS 🤯
#NittoATPFinals https://t.co/Um9Kubpt6c
The 21-time Grand Slam winner broke Tsitsipas' serve in that game and held on, eventually claiming the first set.
Tsitsipas stepped up and stood toe-to-toe with Djokovic in the second set, but it was the Serb who finally came out on top. Djokovic is now one step closer to possibly winning his sixth title at the tournament.
His journey to the finish line will not be easy though. The 21-time Slam champion will likely face tough competition from the players in his draw, including former title winner Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic set to play Andrey Rublev next at the 2022 ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic will square off against Russian Andrey Rublev in the round-robin of the ATP Finals on Wednesday.
Djokovic has had an up-and-down season, having been barred from participating in the Australian Open and the US Open due to his unvaccinated status. However, he did claim three ATP titles - Rome, Astana and Tel Aviv - in addition to winning Wimbledon for a seventh time.
Andrey Rublev has had a decent season himself. Although he did not make a deep run at the Australian Open and was unable to compete at Wimbledon due to a ban on Russian players, he did reach the quarterfinals at both the French Open and the US Open.
The Moscow-born player has notched up four title wins too - in Gijon, Belgrade, Dubai, and Marseille.
Rublev goes into Wednesday's clash on the back of a stunning victory in his first match of the tournament, against Daniil Medvedev. It will be an interesting matchup between him and Djokovic on Wednesday, as both players seem to be in fine form.