Close to closing another historic season, Novak Djokovic could break another record at the Nitto ATP Finals.
The Serbian has won three Grand Slams this year, equaling the absolute record that Rafael Nadal had with 22 crowns in tournaments in this category after winning the Australian Open and surpassing it shortly after with the crowns at Roland Garros and the US Open. He also extended his own ATP Masters 1000 record, reaching 40 titles thanks to his success in Cincinnati and Paris. Furthermore, he will add two more valuable marks to his record: he has secured 400 weeks as No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and will finish as No. 1 for the eighth time at the end of the year, if he manages to maintain this position in Turin.
But that is not all that is at stake for the Serbian in this season finale. If he is able to become champion again, Djokovic will win the tournament for the seventh time at the Nitto ATP Finals, which will allow him to break the tie he maintains with Roger Federer with six titles in the prestigious season-ending tournament.
Djokovic is very aware of all these records that he continues to chase and break. But while he does not give up making history, he remains with his feet on the ground.
“I try to be a good student of the sport and follow the numbers, but at the same time I want to be able to focus my attention on the next goal,” Djokovic said after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the Rolex Paris Masters final. “As long as I’m an active player, I guess that’s the mindset I’ll follow.”
The next challenge ahead will demand his full attention as he will compete alongside the grand champions of the 2023 ATP Tour season. After overcoming a stomach virus on his way to the title in Paris, Djokovic said he was feeling better after the final and that I was already thinking about Turin.
“Each match is going to be like a final of a great tournament, because you play against the best eight,” he said about the Nitto ATP Finals. “Every game gives a lot of points [para el Pepperstone ATP Rankings] and a lot of importance.”
“There is that group stage format, which we don’t have in any other tournament, so even if you lose one or two games, in that system you can advance to the semifinals. I had a perfect result last year in Turin, with five wins. I like playing here, I think I connect well with the Italian public. I’m going with good feelings, with a lot of confidence. “I haven’t lost a match since the Wimbledon final, so I’m very excited to try to finish the season on a high.”
After a close five-set loss to Carlos Alcaarz at Wimbledon – a result that ultimately left him without completing the Grand Slam in the same year – Djokovic has won 18 matches in a row and chained three titles in Cincinnati, US Open and Paris. All of those matches were on hard courts, where he had already won Adelaide and the Australian Open at the beginning of the year.
He arrives in Turin with a surface record of 33-1 this season, his only loss coming in the Dubai semifinals against Daniil Medvedev. With a record of 51-5 overall, Djokovic leads the ATP Tour’s winning percentage at 91%. At the end of a brilliant season, he now puts all his attention on adding five more wins in Turin.
“My goal is to end the season on a high note,” he warned the rest of the Nitto ATP Finals lineup. “With the highest possible grade.”
Source: https://www.atptour.com/es/news/djokovic-turin-2023-preview-feature
