And one more record for Novak Djokovic: the world number 1 ended the year 2023 in style by winning the ATP Masters for the seventh time on Sunday in Turin, Italy. “Djoko” who co-held the record for victories in the event with the Swiss Roger Federer (6), shattered the dream of Jannik Sinner and an entire country, prey this week to a noisy “Sinnermania”.
While he could become at the age of 22 the first Italian to register his name on the list of winners of the “Masters tournament” and sign the most resounding success of his young career, Sinner suddenly came back to earth. Djokovic, 36, stifled him and dominated the final in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 and one hour and 44 minutes.
Sinner beat Djokovic in the group stage
The two players had already faced each other in the group stage and their highly intense duel had turned in favor of the younger player after three hours and nine minutes of play 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7- 6 (7/2). This time, the Serbian was uncompromising with an opponent who, by beating the Dane Holger Rune in a final group match without any stakes for him, had allowed him to reach the last four.
Very aggressive in returns and taking advantage of Sinner’s nervousness, he took the Italian’s serve in the 4th game to lead 3-1, then 5-2, before pocketing the first set in 38 minutes. The second set started in the worst possible way for Sinner: the world number 4 immediately lost his serve with a shutout. He did offer himself two break points at 3-2, but Djokovic canceled them with authority, then won the title on his first match point on Sinner’s serve.
“One of my best seasons,” says Djokovic
“It’s very special to win this title, it’s probably one of my best seasons, I’m very happy and very proud of my last two matches,” commented Djokovic. “I had a phenomenal week,” he insisted. The year 2023 will indeed remain one of the most accomplished in Djokovic’s career, notably with records and statistics that have left their mark on the minds and history of tennis.
He won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, Roland-Garros, US Open), failing in the final of the fourth against Carlos Alcaraz, at Wimbledon, to total 24 major titles, more than any man and as many as the Australian Margaret Court.
For the eighth time world number 1 at the end of the season
From his first match of the week, won against Rune, he had already set himself two records, being assured of finishing for the 8th time in his career in first place in the world and reaching the unprecedented figure of 400 weeks on the throne of world number 1.
And it’s not over. After his coronation in Turin, he now has 98 ATP titles to his name and foresees the extraordinary figure of 100 tournaments won which only Federer (103) and the American Jimmy Connors (109) have exceeded in singles.
Sinner who, undefeated until then, could pocket a check for 4.8 million dollars (4.4 million euros) in the event of success on Sunday, missed his final, missing his rare opportunities to make Djokovic doubt, especially in the 2nd set. But the Italian showed, in the opinion of the Russian Daniil Medvedev in particular, whom he beat in the semi-final, that he had “everything to win Grand Slam titles and aim for first place in the world”.