Novak Djokovic made a successful start to the ATP Finals in Turin. . Also and above all because he was fitter than his opponent Holger Rune.
by Jens Huiber
last edited: November 13, 2023, 8:17 a.m
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Novak Djokovic will once again finish as the best in the industry
It was well after half past one in the morning when Novak Djokovic appeared at his press conference after his opening win against Holger Rune at the ATP Finals in Turin. Djokovic did this in the certainty that he would also finish this season as the best in his class on the ATP tour. For the eighth time, which is of course a lonely record. Carlos Alcaraz had made claims in this regard. The Serbian grandmaster, however, has put an early end to all advances.
Which on the one hand is not surprising: After all, Djokovic was able to win three Grand Slam tournaments this year. On the other hand, he also did without or had to forego four ATP Masters 1000 events: he was missing from Indian Wells and Miami due to the lack of a corona vaccination, and Novak Djokovic was given the tournaments in Canada and Shanghai.
Rune works on the referee
The latter because he also knows what his body needs. The break after the short Davis Cup appearance was good for the industry leader. So good that all observers on Sunday evening were sure that the 36-year-old would be physically superior to his competitor Holger Rune, who is 16 years his junior. Which was the case: Rune had to take short breaks again and again, Djokovic kept his level and, above all, his concentration high (despite two chopped rackets). In contrast to the still young Dane, who in the end worked more on the referee than on his opponent.
On Tuesday we will meet Jannik Sinner, perhaps the biggest challenge of the entire tournament. Sinner mercilessly dumped Stefanos Tsitsipas, was able to save energy and has the audience behind him (although Novak Djokovic is also very popular in Turin). However, the local hero goes into the match with a mortgage: Djokovic has won all three matches so far, the last one quite easily in the semi-finals of Wimbledon.
Here is the tableau in Turin
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Djokovic Novak Rune Holger Nodskov
2023-11-13 08:40:00
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