One great attribute that has defined Novak Djokovic’s career is his hunger for more. Coming into 2023, Djokovic had won only the Wimbledon championship the previous year and was predicted to finish lower than Carlos Alcaraz. But the Serbian star has amazed critics by winning his 24th Grand Slam in the US Open and winning the Paris double (Roland Garros and Paris Masters).
As all roads lead to the ATP Finals in Turin, Djokovic has admitted that he loves playing there and would love to defend his title, which would add to his record-extending tally.
Djokovic eyes number one spot and Davis Cup
Novak Djokovic won his 40th Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Paris Masters title, his sixth title this year. The Serbian won the US Open and went on a 50-day break but on his return to the Rolex Paris Masters, he produced a resilient performance to defeat the likes of Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov in the final.
Djokovic made his end-of-year goals clear in a press conference, “I think I need a victory in Turin to end the year as number one. This is the biggest goal, besides the Davis Cup, in view of the end of the season. I will definitely have time to recover after this week. I will use the next three or four days to put my racket aside, spend time with my family and recharge my batteries before reaching Turin.”
“Last year in Turin I got a perfect score, five out of five games. I like playing there. I think I have a good relationship with the Italian public. I’ll get there with good feelings and the right confidence. I haven’t missed a match since the Wimbledon final (against Carlos Alcaraz, ed.), so I’m really excited to finish the season strong. But, in general, finishing the season at number one and winning the Davis Cup are the two most important goals,” Djokovic added.
ATP Finals in Turin would be a different ball game for Djokovic, as he is going to play against four of the Top 8 in the world before winning the title. However, with a well-organized and consistent display this season, the 36-year-old star is favourite to defend the Nitto ATP Final trophy.
Novak Djokovic sinks Grigor Dimitrov in Paris Masters final
Novak Djokovic delivered a convincing performance in a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov at the Paris Masters to become the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 titles. The 36-year-old tennis star now has 70 Big Titles, which includes 24 Grand Slams, 6 Nitto ATP Finals, and 40 Masters 1000 titles. He leads Rafael Nadal who comes second with 59 Big Titles and Roger Federer with 54.
The Serbian now has 30 wins and 1 loss since his Roland Garros win, the only defeat coming at the Wimbledon Championship when he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. It took only 98 minutes and a single break for Novak Djokovic to wrap up his record-extending win over Dimitrov in the Paris-Bercy final.
“[It’s] incredible. To be able to win it after quite challenging circumstances for me this week,” Djokovic said after the win. “Basically, coming back from the brink of losing three matches in a row, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I was very close to losing those matches and somehow managed to find an extra gear when it was needed.”
The triumph at the Paris Masters have made difficult the aim of Carlos Alcaraz finishing the year as no.1. Djokovic now leads with 1,490 points at the top, with Alcaraz garnering 0 point at the Paris event, after exiting in defeat the tournament in the opening rounds.
