ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic wins a spectacular match against Holger Rune and touches up one of his records
ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic wins a spectacular match against Holger Rune and touches up one of his records
Novak Djokovic wins the most beautiful match of the first day, guaranteeing himself the certainty of ending the year as world No. 1 for the eighth time in his career
From the very first point, it is already clear what the air is in Turin: Djokovic’s big first, Rune’s winning response. The Dane starts extremely aggressive and effective in response, often coming to answer with his feet on the baseline. Holger holds the exchange great with Nole, who, not very consistent with the first ball, è the first to suffer a break (in the fifth game), although the Serb’s reaction comes immediately, with the immediate counter-break and the resumption of the reins of the set: 4-3 for the n°1.
It proceeded point to point until the tie-break, with the level remaining very high and with no more break balls for the two protagonists, who, however, did not have an easy time on serve. At 6-6 once again the class of Djokovic emerges, who plays a perfect tie-break and, under the watchful gaze of, among others, Darren Cahill (Sinner’s coach), papà Alcaraz and Dusan Vlahovic, cashes in the first set after almost an hour and a quarter.
Even at the start of the second partial, the quality doesn’t seem to diminish, indeed. As in the first set, the two exchange immediate breaks and counter-breaks, but they do so with stratospheric quality and tennis, consisting of practically only winners. The balance (like the great show) continues until the tie-break in the second fraction as well, although Djokovic is first forced to cancel a set point. Rune continues on high peaks of tennis, continues to shoot hard without ever making a mistake and, with the Serb’s cooperation, wins the tie-break of the second set: 7-1!
Despite the nearly two-and-a-half hours that the first two sets took, the match remains at an incredible level. Once again the one who scores a break (this time Djokovic) fails to confirm it, with the Serb coming to the bench out of frustration and smashing not one, but two rackets! In any case, è once again he, as already happened on countless other occasions in his career, to place the winning paw at the decisive moment, finding a key break in the sixth game and imposing himself 7-6(4) 6-7(1) 6-3 after more than three hours of heavenly tennis. This success also delivers him the certainty of ending the year at No. 1 in the world for the eighth time, improving his previous all-time record.
John Pelazzo
