ATP Finals 2023 Results: Novak Djokovic Ends Year As World Number One After Beating Holger Rune2 min read
Novak Djokovic needed one win to end the year as the number one ranked men’s player
Novak Djokovic will end the year as world number one for a record eighth time after he beat Holger Rune at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion overcame the Dane 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 in his opening Green Group match at the season-ending event on Sunday.
Victory for Djokovic extends his winning run to 19 consecutive matches.
The 36-year-old Serb won three Slams in 2023 to set a men’s record of 24 career major titles.
Earlier on Sunday, home favourite and fourth seed Jannik Sinner beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-4.
Rune, 20, who is making his debut at the event, claimed the first break to lead 3-2 before Djokovic hit back and went on to win the opening set tie-break.
Rune reacted well and continued his streak of winning a set in every previous meeting with Djokovic to level the game in a second set tie-break.
The Serb broke immediately in the deciding set, but Rune was able to respond before his opponent broke for a second time and ended the youngster’s challenge.
Djokovic is on course for a seventh ATP Finals title, which would make him the record holder, having equalled Roger Federer’s tally of six last year.
“It took everything,” Djokovic told Prime Video. “I saw in the first game when he fired shots from the baseline, I knew it was going to be a tough night for me. I thought he played great. I played great in some moments.
“Overall, a win is a win. It was a very emotional win and a tough win knowing the significance of tonight’s match. After a really terrible second-set tie-break, I think I played a really solid third set.”
