21-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic added another feather to his impressive cap on Sunday after clinching his 6th career ATP tour finals title. The 7-5, 6-3 win over Norwegian Casper Ruud now sees Djokovic go level with Roger Federer for most wins, having secured his sixth title in Turin. Djokovic had an unforgettable year on the tour where he missed two Grand Slams due to vaccination issues.
Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud 7-5 6-3 to win the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals for a record-equaling sixth time in his career. Djokovic's title means that he equals Roger Federer for the tournament record of titles and becomes the oldest champion at the season finale.
The 35-year-old's victory ensured he maintained his unbeaten run against Ruud. He walks away with a record payday of more than $4.7 million, as well as 1,500 ATP Rankings points. The title is Djokovic's first at the season-ending competition since 2015.
Ruud saved two break points in his first service game of the opening set to hold, but it set the tone for the match, with the Norwegian regularly forced onto the back foot. There were a number of lengthy rallies during the game, including 36 shots in the final one to set up a championship point for Djokovic who then clinched the title with an ace.
"Seven years, it's been a long time," Djokovic said. "At the same time, the fact that I waited seven years makes his victory even sweeter and even bigger.
"It's a huge deal (to end the year with a win). I've probably talked about this season and how unusual it is a thousand times, so I'm not going to repeat what most people who follow tennis know. It's just a big relief and satisfaction.
"Also, I look forward to having a couple of weeks off," Djokovic continued. "I was on the needles (edge), whether it was for tournaments or waiting for permissions to go somewhere. So, I'm really glad that I managed to end it in a positive way,” Djokovic concluded.
The next major event on the tour will be the 2023 Australia Open where Djokovic is expected to return after staying away for a year. Australia has relaxed the visa rules bearing Covid-19 regulations, which could see Novak return to win his 22nd Grand Slam and 10th Australian Open title.
