Novak Djokovic keeps stacking records, pushing the debate about who is the greatest tennis player of all time. In Turin in 2008 he claimed his seventh Masters title, joining the haul from 2012 through 2015, adding wins in 2022 and on Sunday, November 19, 2023. A new mark to chase existed: Roger Federer, with six titles ahead of him. Djokovic delivered his best performance yet, sweeping Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3.
In his eighth season atop the rankings, the world No. 1 faced an era hungry for disruption as a fresh generation plotted to dethrone the famed Big Three. Sinner opened the door to the semi-finals on Thursday and again this Sunday. Djokovic answered with a strong comeback in the group stage, a match won by the Italian in a tight tiebreak after more than three hours of intense staging.
This time, Djokovic entered Pala Alpitour with a sharper edge. The Serbian showcased his best form from the opening rally to the close of the first set, clocking a 38-minute finish to seal the set.
stubborn
Djokovic seized the break early at 3-1 and never allowed the advantage to slip away. He dropped only two points on serve, committed two simple errors, and dominated the fast indoor surface with seven aces and 88 percent winning points on first serves.
With those numbers, Sinner found no clear path to halt the Serb. Djokovic’s serve remained the week’s most potent weapon, while Sinner confronted persistent pressure that was precise and cutting, the kind that can be likened to a scalpel. There was no other option for the Italian but to bow to the relentless determination that defined the match. A break at the start of the second set gave Djokovic a 1-0 lead, and after a sequence of ten consecutive points, he stretched the gap to 4-2.
Sinner looked for answers in his reserve bank. He saved a second timeout and managed to pull the score to 3-0, a hard-earned response that flickered briefly as the ball kissed the net and then sailed away for Djokovic. The Italian tested Djokovic with his first two breakpoints after 1 hour 11 minutes in the sixth game, but the Serb held firm to move to 4-2.
The Italian did not give up and increased the risk, pushing a more aggressive Djokovic toward a rare misstep. Yet the world No. 1 found means to close out the encounter, with a final correction that sealed the victory amid a dramatic finish and a critical error that buried Sinner’s hopes.
In search of the Davis Cup
Djokovic logged his 50th tournament win since his debut in 2007, a milestone that came with a prize in the vicinity of $4,411,500 and 1,300 ranking points. The victory keeps him world No. 1 at least until the Australian Open, where he will defend the title and the points tally of 2,000.
The season does not end there. Djokovic heads to Malaga on Monday to participate in the Davis Cup Final Eight, seeking a second title with Serbia.