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Djokovic wins record 7th ATP Finals title by beating Sinner in straight sets

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic kisses the trophy after winning the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with the trophy after winning the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, winner, left, and second placed Italy’s Jannik Sinner hold their trophies at the end of the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy’s Jannik Sinner holds the second placed trophy at the end of the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy’s Jannik Sinner reacts after losing a point to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Italy’s Jannik Sinner during their singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

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TURIN, Italy (AP) — Novak Djokovic ended the year just as he started it — by setting records.

The top-ranked Djokovic won a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday with a straight-set victory over home favorite Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic took 1 hour, 43 minutes to win 6-3, 6-3 as the Serbian continues to reach new heights at the age of 36.

He started 2023 with a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and went on to claim his 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy at the French Open, breaking Rafael Nadal’s mark. Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, also won the U.S. Open .

“One of the best seasons I’ve had in my life, no doubt,” Djokovic said. “To crown it with a win against a hometown hero in Jannik, who has played amazing tennis this week, is phenomenal.”

Djokovic entered Sunday’s final tied with Roger Federer on six titles at the season-ending tournament for the year’s top eight players.

And he stretched out his arms and beamed broadly after clinching his seventh when Sinner double-faulted.

The victory had echoes of the clinical way Djokovic dispatched second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday’s semifinal encounter.

“I’m very proud of the performances these last two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and (Daniil) Medvedev at the moment, and the way they have been playing I had to step it up,” Djokovic said.

“I had to win the matches and not wait for them to hand me the victory and that’s what I’ve done. I think I tactically played different today than I have in the group stage against Jannik, and just overall it was a phenomenal week.”

It was his fourth win over Sinner, who had recorded a first-ever victory against Djokovic in the group stage in Turin and was the first Italian to reach the final.

But Djokovic was in imperious form on Sunday and won 14 straight points from the end of the first set to the third game of the second to leave him firmly in control and subdue the Turin crowd.

Djokovic had already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record-extending eighth time by winning his opening match at the ATP Finals.

After this tournament, Djokovic will become the first player to hold the No. 1 ranking for 400 weeks, with Roger Federer at 310 the only other man to eclipse the 300-week mark.

It was also only the second time in the last 15 years that a player has made the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments and the ATP Finals. The only previous occasion was when Djokovic did it in 2015.

Sinner came into the final having won all of his matches in Turin and backed by a fervent home crowd, who had dreams of him becoming the first Italian to win the tournament in its 54-year history.

But the 22-year-old Sinner could offer little in response to a master class from Djokovic, especially in a blistering first set that lasted just 38 minutes and saw the Serbian win 20 of 22 service points. Djokovic also served up 13 aces during the match.

“Congratulations to you (Novak) for this week and not only: you started the season by winning and you ended it by winning, you won three Slams and many other tournaments,” Sinner said. “What else is there to say? You’re an inspiration not only for all those watching, but especially for the players.

“I also want to thank my team … we saw also today that I can still improve a lot but we can look at the positive things from this season. When we started the year I was one player and now I’m another. Thanks to you who have helped me understand so many things.”

AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

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ATP World Tour Finals: Djokovic claims record seventh title – as it happened

Novak Djokovic claimed a record seventh ATP Finals title in Turin, defeating Jannik Sinner to round off a stratospheric season

• 19 Nov 2023 Djokovic beats Sinner! 6-3, 6-3
• 19 Nov 2023 Djokovic wins the first set v Sinner: 6-3
• 19 Nov 2023 Preamble

The greater the stakes , the greater the performance from Novak Djokovic . This has always been one of the key pillars of Djokovic’s success as he has swept up all significant titles in sight so many times over, and it has also been perfectly demonstrated throughout another triumphant week in Turin.

And that will be all from me. Thanks for reading, and congratulations to Novak Djokovic , who looks ominously fit, not to mention motivated to continue this dominance for the next few seasons. The way he played in the first set and a half simply left Sinner with no answer. Did Alcaraz’s Wimbledon win signal a changing of the guard? I don’t think so. Bye for now.

Djokovic has a chat with Henman on Amazon Prime: “I think I prepared myself very well for this match, for the atmosphere. I knew the place is going to go wild, it’s going to be very loud, the whole place supporting him. Obviously I knew that … but one thing is to know, and expect, and another is to actually experience.

“I think the match we had in the group stage really helped me prepare myself mentally and emotionally for what’s coming up … and I said yesterday, after the match against Alcaraz , I’ve been striking the ball really, really nicely. I’ve been feeling great on the court. And I’m very proud of this achievement – obviously, four out of five biggest trophies this year, after a very long season.

“Obviously, unpredictability … Not knowing whether I’m going to qualify for semis or not … thanks for Jannik, for allowing me to do that. And then I played arguably the two best matches. The circumstances of playing Alcaraz and Sinner – two best matches this year, no doubt. High, high level of tennis. I’m very thankful for another success.

“The match yesterday, and today – playing against the top players in the world, top rivals. Today, playing against the whole stadium as well, backing Jannik to win the trophy. He was in red-hot form, probably playing his best tennis … and I think I delivered when I needed to. I stayed tough. I had the better mentality. When I clinched the year world No 1 after beating Rune I kind of felt, you know, satisfied with that. I was not really fully into my remaining matches of the group. But luckily for me, I got the chance to be in the semis … and then when I got in the there I kind of switched on, you know, and delivered my A-game, no doubt.

“I feel great on the court, obviously I have to pick and choose and adjust my schedule a bit. I can’t play as much as I played maybe 10, 15 years ago. But when I play I try and bring my best game which I’ve been doing in the last few years.”

Hantuchova reckons Djokovic will win five more slams. (He has 24 now.) Rusedski thinks he’ll win four more: 28.

“I could see him playing for another three years,” says Henman. “The element that is out of his control is his speed of movement … when you get half a step slower, that is going to affect your game … I think he will play for three more years and maybe win two slams a year … I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits 30 majors. What he has achieved is truly remarkable.”

The Australian Open begins on 14 January 2024, so not long to wait for more tennis.

It appears that Sky Sports are taking on the rights for live tennis that Amazon Prime have had for the past several years.

It seems to be the end of the road for Amazon Prime’s tennis coverage. Catherine Whitaker, Tim Henman, Daniela Hantuchova and Greg Rusedski are reflecting on their five years working together … Tim Henman singles out Emma Raducanu’s US Open victory in 2021 as the high point. Mark Petchey drops in some banter about not being paid for any of the commentary he’s done in the past five years.

Djokovic speaks (translated from Italian): “Congratulations to Jannik, and to your team, even though I know it wasn’t the result you wanted today … to my team, thank you for helping me to get through this. I’m 36 now so things are a bit tougher. The work and dedication of my team is incredible … my family and my team give me joy and strength.

“Thanks [to the crowd] for the support I received, even if Jannik was your favourite … it’s very special to play in front of you, because of the pressure you bring.

And now in English: “I just want to thank all the people who don’t speak Italian. Thanks for following us through this very long season. For me it’s been a very successful one, one of the best I had in my career. We had a lot of tournaments played around the world … it’s amazing to see so many people supporting tennis. We are lucky to be a part of this wonderful sport. So thanks again and hopefully see you tomorrow … no, next year!”

“ Thank you very much everyone, ” Sinner says after a huge ovation from the crowd. “Good evening. Congratulations to Novak on everything you’ve won this season … you’re an inspiration, not only for everyone watching, but for all the players.

“Thanks to my team … we’ve made a lot of improvements … we had a chance to play against the best in the world, and we have to look at all the positive things we’ve done, this week and this season.

“I would like to thank the federation … in 2019 I played the [ATP Finals] NextGen, with a wildcard … a few years later to be here, at such a beautiful tournament … Thank you to all the sponsors and the umpires.

“And thanks to all of you [the crowd]. You looked after me like I was a little baby … and you gave me power … let’s see what happens next, we still have the Davis Cup.”

We’re ready for the presentations. Here’s Jannik Sinner! He shakes hands with the dignitaries on court and cracks a big smile, which is good to see. The crowd produce a huge cheer when he holds up his runner-up trophy.

Henman, on Amazon Prime , says that “was some of the best tennis I’ve ever seen” from Djokovic.

In the first set and a half, he was indeed untouchable. Sinner had no answer. And while there were a couple of unforced errors from Djokovic with the finish line in sight, Sinner still he had to show considerable resolve to avoid it being a complete walkover.

“ Djokovic is a champion ,” emails Simonetta Vallone. “But it was great to see this young Italian player give us all these emotions!”

“ Very special ,” says Djokovic on Amazon Prime in reacting to another victory. “One of the best seasons I’ve had in my life, and to crown it with a win against the hometown hero Jannik, who’s played such great tennis this week, it’s phenomenal.

“I’m very proud of these performances these last two days against the best two players in the world, Alcaraz and Sinner, next to me.”

“ Once again he showed us how powerful his mind is,” says the Amazon Prime pundit, Hantuchova, of Djokovic.

“It’s a hard lesson for him [Sinner] to learn today … He needs to improve his mind under pressure,” says Greg Rusedski alongside.

“He’ll be super proud … and he’ll so confident going into 2024,” adds Hantuchova of Sinner.

The story of that match , in a way, was how much character Sinner showed to at least slow the momentum of Djokovic, who started like a runaway train. Djokovic served with utter ruthlessness in that first set in particular – Sinner could not put any pressure on when he was returning. But anyway, that is Djokovic’s seventh ATP Finals title – he surpasses his old rival Roger Federer, who won six. He is out there on his own.

Djokovic beats Sinner! 6-3, 6-3

At 15-15 Sinner directs an ugly volley into the tramlines, not the sort of error you can afford when Djokovic can smell blood. Impressively, Sinner is back on it next up, spanking a clean ace down for 30-30. Another error from Sinner, though, and it’s championship point for the iconic Serb … And Sinner double faults, and that’s the lot!

*Sinner 3-6, 3-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

There are cracks appearing in the Djokovic game when it had previously looked close to perfect. He hits another volley long for 0-15. It’s soon 0-30, and there is tension in the air when some noise from the crowd causes Djokovic to stop his service action. Sinner dumps the next return tamely into the net, and then hits long, and Djokovic has wrestled it back to 30-30. Sinner errs wide again, with an arguably excessively high-tariff attempted winner, but at 40-30 some more accurate hitting from Sinner draws an error from his opponent, who nets from the baseline. Djokovic, nevertheless, rounds off the hold and Sinner has to serve to stay in this.

Sinner 3-6, 3-4 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

That was a marathon. Djokovic misses what looks an easy volley, Sinner belts down an ace, and Sinner holds after a long, long battle! That was huge. Sinner is still in this - but only just. Can he exert any pressure on the Djokovic serve next up? The players sit down for a drink.

Sinner 3-6, 2-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Sinner draws a round of applause from Djokovic when he pegs his opponent back to 15-15 after losing the first point. Sinner hits high and wide next up and his body language is suddenly indifferent at best, slumping his shoulders and picking at his racket. But he unloads an accurate forehand on the next point to bring it back to 30-30. A sweet ace down the middle and that’s 40-30, but again Sinner can’t press home his advantage, coughing up an error into the net for deuce.

Some determined defence keeps Sinner in the next point, before a somewhat mishit forehand loops over the net and in, leaving Djokovic motionless! A deuce battle ensues, with Sinner having a couple of looks at game point … The third one comes when a Sinner forehand sneaks over the net off the cord.

The deuce battle turns out to be lengthy indeed, with Djokovic fighting back against some accurate serving by Sinner, who has noticeably raised his game since that first set. And still the deuce battle goes on …

*Sinner 3-6, 2-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Sinner, for the first time, has a glimmer on the Djokovic serve at 0-30. He aims down the line on the next point, going for the jugular, but veers out wide and that’s 15-30. The crowd is up, anyway, hoping the home favourite can get this break back … and they roar with delight when Djokovic hits wide next up! That’s 15-40! Do we have a ball game?

Djokovic serves up a booming wide serve that Sinner can’t get back. 30-40. Another chance for Sinner to break … the crowd yell out their encouragement even when Djokovic is about to serve. Sinner hits long, throwing away another precious break point, and gives it the double-handled teapot stance to show his disgust.

Djokovic, having been on the back foot on serve for the first time, rounds off the hold. Sinner goes to the corner of the court for his towel, and is visibly annoyed at having let that chance slip.

The Eiffel 65 classic “Blue” rings around the auditorium. It’s a classic in the sense it’s very old, anyway. Djokovic to serve again …

Sinner 3-6, 2-3 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

A Djokovic forehand, fizzing down the line like a particularly well-directed firework, makes it 15-15. But Sinner keeps his head up and finds a way to win the game, eventually rounding it off with a cathartic smash. “A couple of very gritty holds,” says Petchey on commentary of Sinner’s recent efforts.

*Sinner 3-6, 1-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Djokovic cracks an opening ace down the middle. Then one out wide. 30-0. Then down the middle. 40-0. Sinner has won two points against the Djokovic serve at this stage. It’s a quite phenomenal display of serving. Another big serve – Sinner gets the frame of his racket on this one – but the ball flies almost straight upwards. And that’s the game.

Sinner 3-6, 1-2 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

It’s quickly 0-30, and Sinner is teetering. But he brings a roar from the crowd by ending a run of 14 points in a row for Djokovic with a well-struck forehand as his opponent tries to regain position in the centre of the court. Next up, there is a lengthy baseline exchange and Djokovic blinks first, sending the ball wide. Sinner pumps up the crowd, shaking his fist and demonstrating that he has not lost hope. But on the next point a fearsome forehand to the corner is simply too good from Djokovic. Sinner stretches for it as best he can but can only get the frame of his racket on the ball.

Break point Djokovic – Sinner wrestles it back to deuce – but more high-class hustle from the Serb earns him another break point. The Italian does remarkably well to commit to his shots despite being break point down. Djokovic tries to pass him down the line but the ball flicks off the net and out. Djokovic looks stunned! He soon has another break point, but Sinner battles with spirit yet again, earns himself a game point, and then thumps a big serve down the middle which wins him the game. He shakes his fist and roars. Could he find a way? Physically, Sinner has looked a bit off the pace, but perhaps he’s beginning to warm up?

*Sinner 3-6, 0-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Another collection of top-drawer Djokovic serves to which Sinner simply has no answer. The love hold is sealed with a crisp ace out wide. Djokovic pumps his fist. Can he break his opponent again, next up?

Sinner 3-6, 0-1 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Uh-oh. Sinner falls a break down immediately in this second and potentially final set, and it’s a break to love. At 0-30 Sinner is distracted by some movement in the crowd when he’s about to serve. He then opts to challenge but the ball from his opponent is comfortably on the line. That’s 0-40. On the next rally it’s Djokovic who is in total control again – Sinner floats a backhand long – and the Serb is well on the road to victory here unless Sinner can stage some kind of spectacular recovery.

Djokovic wins the first set v Sinner: 6-3

Sinner puts up a fight on the first point, but Djokovic wins another attritional rally, and he roars and pumps his fist like he’s just won a grand slam. He’s up for this one. At 40-0 on Djokovic’s second serve, Sinner tries a spinning forehand but it drops wide. And that’s the first set. The straight-sets predictions are looking good right now. Djokovic is dominating, serving and returning with utter conviction and accuracy.

“The controlled aggression, the consistency, the power,” says Henman of Djokovic. “Sinner looked a little bit flat when he was down a break in that first set, but he’s got to retain his belief, which is easier said than done.”

“ Why did he beat Rune ?” asks Kevin Mulherrin. “It [throwing the game against Rune and eliminating Djokovic] would have been a perfectly valid tactic. The object is to win the tournament and beating Djokovic once is difficult enough but TWICE!

“Under similar circumstances I suspect Djokovic and a lot of other players would have been more calculating.”

Sinner 3-5 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Sinner fires a huge serve down the middle for 30-0, but misdirects a big forehand into the net for 30-15. Djokovic, unquestionably, is the player hitting the ball with more authority. Sinner fluffs a backhand from the baseline and it’s 30-30. Djokovic has yet to miss with a second-serve return, and he is exerting serious pressure on Sinner in every facet of the game. Still, the 22-year-old produces an excellent first serve for 40-15, then smacks an ace down the middle for the game. The crowd chant and cheer, but Djokovic can serve for the first set.

*Sinner 2-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Djokovic has his game face on. A succession of pinpoint-accurate serves, and a clumsy mishit from Sinner, helps him to a love hold. Sinner has to serve to stay in the first set. At this rate Djokovic is going to make short work of this final. The players sit down for a drink, the DJ drops the latest rework of The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind) by the Bucketheads.

Sinner 2-4 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Sinner makes it 15-0 with a solid wide serve and winner into the open court. Djokovic gifts him the next point, hitting into the net, and at 40-0 Sinner tries to crush a forehand winner, inside-out, but only finds the net. However, Djokovic hits long next up, and Sinner reduces his first-set deficit, still a break down.

*Sinner 1-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

The Djokovic forehand is like a sledgehammer. He’s hitting it with complete authority, and Sinner is very much being forced on to the back foot, furrowing his brow and wondering how he can get a foothold in this first set. At 30-15, Djokovic cracks an ace down the middle, and easily wins the next point after a brief rally to seal the game.

“Novak Djokovic, the immovable force,” says Mark Petchey on commentary. I think he means immovable object?

Sinner 1-3 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

After an unreturnable serve for 15-0, Djokovic leans into a hugely powerful forehand that would make most players crumble, but Sinner bravely stays in the point. Having gained the upper hand the Serb eventually hits a clean winner for 15-15. Sinner then mixes things up beautifully, crushing a big serve for 30-15, then hitting a delightful drop shot for 40-15 that Djokovic applauds.

Sinner comes to the net and volleys for the game, but Djokovic has his measure and hits a brilliant lob to peg him back to 40-30. Sinner unloads from the baseline on the next point, but can only find the net, and it’s deuce … then there is a break in play as it seems someone’s mobile phone is going off in the crowd. There’s always one.

At deuce, a powerful rally from both players ends with Sinner hitting long – it looks in – the Italian decides not to challenge, but Hawkeye indicates it did indeed clip the line. Oh well – Sinner coughs up an unforced error next up, hitting wide with another attempted big hit – and Djokovic is a break up.

*Sinner 1-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

At 30-0, Djokovic whips a powerful backhand wide – a sloppy error by his exacting standards. He’s back on it on the next point, bending an ace beyond the reach of Sinner for 40-15. The Italian is wayward with his next return, sending it wide, and that’s another easy enough hold for Djokovic. Time for a drink and a tune or two from the in-house DJ.

Sinner 1-1 *Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Whoah. There’s a helluva rally on the first point of Sinner’s service game. Sinner looks to have hit a winner cross-court, after a lengthy exchange from the baseline, but Djokovic hunts it down and returns with interest. Sinner holds on for 15-0. But the Serb is striking the ball imperiously. Djokovic hits long – 30-0 – then Sinner flops a shot into the net from the baseline for 30-15. Sinner thumps a massive wide serve for 40-15 which Djokovic, somehow, gets a racket on, but Djokovic hauls him back to 40-30. A lovely drop shot by Sinner seals the game and he pumps his fist, relieved to have avoided a deuce battle with his tenacious opponent.

*Sinner 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

A solid first serve down the middle sets up Djokovic to win the first point of the match. Then an ace, and it’s quickly 30-0, and another ace shaped out wide for 40-0. Sinner manages to get into a rally on second serve at 40-0, but is never really in the point, and that’s a very strong hold for Djokovic to kick things off.

“ I don’t think this is going to be a straight-sets match, I think this is going the distance,” says Greg Rusedski. “Today’s going to be a lot about belief. How much does Jannik Sinner really believe he can beat Novak Djokovic ?”

“ For me, I just think Djokovic is going to be a different animal,” says Tim Henman, court-side for Amazon Prime. “I think he’s going to find that way to play a little bit better and get across the line.”

Henman adds he thinks it’ll be Djokovic in straight sets, and Hantuchova agrees.

Sinner’s out on court first , bouncing up and down on his toes, shaking hands with the officials, all that jazz. Djokovic soon joins him. The Serb wins the toss and elects to serve first. Time for a quick photo and we are ready to go.

Here come the players. The young Italian, ranked No 4, is out first.

Are you a Sinner, or are you a winner? Maybe he can be both.

And now here’s Djokovic, walking out to suitably dramatic music.

Here we go, then. Well nearly. The Amazon Prime coverage has fired up, and the pundits are having a chat. “If he stays injury free, he should be lifting a grand slam next year,” says Daniela Hantuchova of Sinner’s progress.

My prediction is that this will definitely go to three sets.

In doubles news , Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury retained their ATP Finals title earlier on, beating Marcel Granollers and Marc Ceballos 6-3, 6-4 in the final.

TITLE DEFENDED 🏆🛡️ @RajeevRam & @joesalisbury92 are the best of the best in Turin, powering past Granollers/Zeballos 6-3, 6-4! #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/1dtsdVa04s — ATP Tour (@atptour) November 19, 2023

Andy Murray has been forced to withdraw from the Davis Cup and end his season after suffering a shoulder injury in training. He had been training at the National Tennis Centre this week and preparing for the final event of the year when he suffered the injury. Great Britain face Serbia on Thursday in Málaga at the Final 8 knockout stage of the Davis Cup finals.

Forget the tennis. A much bigger match will take place in Wimbledon next week as the All England Lawn Tennis Club takes on another local council over its plan to build an 8,000-seat stadium on a Grade II*-listed park .

The AELTC will on Tuesday night attempt to convince Wandsworth’s planning committee to vote through its proposal to build the 10-storey show court and 38 other grass courts on Wimbledon Park. Campaigners have described the proposals as an “industrial tennis complex”.

“ I predict Sinner to win ,” emails Abdul. “He has the momentum.”

After losing the semi-final, Medvedev predicted that Sinner – if he keeps up this form – will become world No 1 and win multiple grand slams. So perhaps Medvedev would agree with you, Abdul.

Then again, it’s Djokovic isn’t it? I didn’t see the semi-finals but it sounds like he fairly blew Alcaraz off the court.

For me, a tough one to call, but a match that both players will want to win. More searing insight coming up soon.

Will Sinner repeat the feat of earlier in the week and beat Djokovic a second time? Or will the Serb grind his precocious opponent into the dust? You can email me with your predictions.

This final, by the way, is best of three sets, just like all the other matches in the tournament.

Djokovic, it is fair to say , was not a happy customer on Thursday afternoon after he beat the alternate, Hubert Hurkacz, in three sets. The dropped set meant that qualification was put out of his hands and he proceeded to give some distinctly snippy post-match interviews. But it turned out all right when Rune was defeated by Sinner later that night.

The tale of the tape : Djokovic leads Sinner 3-1 in their head-to-head.

Djokovic won at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2021, in two sets, then at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023. The quarter-final in 2022 was a five-setter when Djokovic hit back from two sets down in typically tenacious style. The semi-final this year was in straight sets.

But Sinner, of course, had Djokovic’s number earlier this week, which is what makes today’s match so fascinating.

Australia have just beaten India by six wickets to win the ODI Cricket World Cup!

Novak Djokovic has today’s opponent, Jannik Sinner, to thank for the fact he’s still here. Following the Serb’s group stage defeat by the Italian , Djokovic would have been eliminated had Holger Rune beaten Sinner on Thursday night.

As things turned out the home favourite won in three, which meant Djokovic joined him, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of this season-closing event in northern Italy. Djokovic blew away Alcaraz (the man who beat him in an epic Wimbledon final ) while the Russian, Medvedev, was dispatched by the increasingly confident Sinner.

Which brings us to today’s final. Djokovic already has the Australian Open, French Open and US Open in the trophy cabinet this year. Can the world No 4 find a way past the irrepressible Serb and prompt a smattering of erroneous ‘changing of the guard’ headlines? We’re about to find out.

Match start: 5pm UK time

• Novak Djokovic

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Djokovic Wins Record 7th ATP Finals Title by Beating Sinner in Straight Sets

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has won a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title with a straight-set victory over home favorite Jannik Sinner

Antonio Calanni

Serbia's Novak Djokovic kisses the trophy after winning the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Novak Djokovic ended the year just as he started it — by setting records.

The top-ranked Djokovic won a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday with a straight-set victory over home favorite Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic took 1 hour, 43 minutes to win 6-3, 6-3 as the Serbian continues to reach new heights at the age of 36.

He started 2023 with a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and went on to claim his 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy at the French Open, breaking Rafael Nadal's mark. Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, also won the U.S. Open .

“One of the best seasons I’ve had in my life, no doubt,” Djokovic said. “To crown it with a win against a hometown hero in Jannik, who has played amazing tennis this week, is phenomenal."

Djokovic entered Sunday's final tied with Roger Federer on six titles at the season-ending tournament for the year’s top eight players.

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And he stretched out his arms and beamed broadly after clinching his seventh when Sinner double-faulted.

The victory had echoes of the clinical way Djokovic dispatched second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday's semifinal encounter.

“I’m very proud of the performances these last two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and (Daniil) Medvedev at the moment, and the way they have been playing I had to step it up," Djokovic said.

“I had to win the matches and not wait for them to hand me the victory and that’s what I’ve done. I think I tactically played different today than I have in the group stage against Jannik, and just overall it was a phenomenal week.”

It was his fourth win over Sinner, who had recorded a first-ever victory against Djokovic in the group stage in Turin and was the first Italian to reach the final.

But Djokovic was in imperious form on Sunday and won 14 straight points from the end of the first set to the third game of the second to leave him firmly in control and subdue the Turin crowd.

Djokovic had already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record-extending eighth time by winning his opening match at the ATP Finals.

After this tournament, Djokovic will become the first player to hold the No. 1 ranking for 400 weeks, with Roger Federer at 310 the only other man to eclipse the 300-week mark.

It was also only the second time in the last 15 years that a player has made the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments and the ATP Finals. The only previous occasion was when Djokovic did it in 2015.

Sinner came into the final having won all of his matches in Turin and backed by a fervent home crowd, who had dreams of him becoming the first Italian to win the tournament in its 54-year history.

But the 22-year-old Sinner could offer little in response to a master class from Djokovic, especially in a blistering first set that lasted just 38 minutes and saw the Serbian win 20 of 22 service points. Djokovic also served up 13 aces during the match.

“Congratulations to you (Novak) for this week and not only: you started the season by winning and you ended it by winning, you won three Slams and many other tournaments,” Sinner said. “What else is there to say? You’re an inspiration not only for all those watching, but especially for the players.

“I also want to thank my team … we saw also today that I can still improve a lot but we can look at the positive things from this season. When we started the year I was one player and now I’m another. Thanks to you who have helped me understand so many things.”

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ATP Finals 2021 preview: Players, schedule and how to watch the men's season-ending event

After Daniil Medvedev clinched the crown at last year’s edition behind closed doors, the ever-prestigious ATP Finals is back - and in a new location. Find the schedule, players to watch and more, right here. 

The 2021 edition of the season-ending ATP Finals is set to take place from 14 to 21 November at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, Italy , after a 10-year stint at the O2 Arena in London.

Featuring the top eight ranked men’s tennis singles players and doubles teams, the unofficial 'fifth major' tournament of the calendar is full of fresh faces this year - and one all-time great who is looking to continue to build on his legacy.

Previously, the event was held in London, but has moved to Italy for a five-year spell, 2021 through to 2025**.**

As we gear up for the ATP season climax, here are all the details you need to know.

ATP stars to watch in Turin

Those looking for the familiar faces of Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal , and two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray will find them missing from this year’s event.

Due to combination of injury and a season highlighted by stops-and-starts for the former number ones, the trio will be absent in 2021.

But Novak Djokovic , who just secured his record seventh year-end No.1 ranking last week with another record - a 37th Masters 100 win in Paris - leads a field of youngsters, with the Serbian being the lone 30-something in the eight-player field.

The following eight players will all be in action on the singles side of the competition:

• Novak Djokovic (SRB)
• Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
• Alexander Zverev (GER)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
• Andrey Rublev (RUS)
• Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
• Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
• Casper Ruud (NOR)

Doubles teams that have qualified in the Top 8 for the ATP Finals 2021:

• Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic (CRO)
• Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR)
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
• Marcel Granollers (ESP) and Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
• Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah (COL)
• Ivan Dodig (CRO) and Filip Polasek (SVK)
• Jamie Murray (GBR) and Bruno Soares (BRA)
• Kevin Krawietz (GER) and Horia Tecau (ROM)

Storylines at ATP Finals 2021

Qualifying as far back as July 2021 after winning the Australian Open , French Open and Wimbledon , Djokovic heads to Turin the man to beat in the singles competition.

While he may have missed out on a ‘ Golden Slam’ after being denied at Tokyo 2020 by third place ATP Final qualifier Alexander Zverev , and then the chance to win the ‘ Calendar Slam’ after losing to Daniil Medvedev in Flushing Meadows, the Serb has come back from his break fighting.

Just recently he avenged his US Open loss against the current Tour champion at the Paris Masters . Djokovic beat Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim that aforementioned 37th Masters 1000, leap-frogging Nadal to the top of the leaderboard for most Masters 1000 titles won.

An injury cloud hangs over the head of Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas who recently withdrew from Paris due to an elbow injury. Meanwhile, eighth seed Casper Ruud is making history as Norway’s first player to compete at an ATP final.

In the doubles field, the top four pairings have a Grand Slam title each this season.

With that being said, the heat is certainly with Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic - the Croatian year-end No.1s.

The pair, who debuted their partnership just this year, have accumulated an impressive number of titles, including Wimbledon and Tokyo 2020 gold. Additionally, they've won three Masters 1000 titles and four other stops on tour in 2021.

Format for the ATP Finals

Like the WTA Finals , the composition of both the ATP singles and doubles showdown will use a round-robin phase.

The eight players are teams are halved into two groups of four and each player/team will then compete against the three others in the group.

As listed above, the groups are :

• Red Group: Djokovic, Tsitsipas, Rublev, Ruud
• Green Group: Medvedev, Zverev, Berrettini, Hurkacz

The top two players/teams from each group will then advance to the semi-finals, where the top placed player/team from the first group will play the runner-up from the second and vice versa.

The winners of each semi-final will then progress to the all-important championship final.

Schedule: ATP Tour Finals 2021

Round-robin – 14 to 19 November

Semi-finals – 20 November

Final – 21 November

How to watch ATP Tour Finals 2021

The following broadcasters will be covering the event:

United Kingdom – Amazon Prime Video

United States – Tennis Channel

Europe - Eurosport

Europe- Sky Deutschland

Europe - Sky Italia

Europe - Telefonica/Movistar

Australia - beIN SPORTS

Africa - SuperSport

For more on broadcasting schedules see the ATP Finals website here .

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WTA Tour Finals 2021 preview: everything you need to know

Top things to know about Novak Djokovic following his ninth Australian Open title win

Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic: Best matches in an epic rivalry

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic: What comes next for the 'Big 3' in men's tennis?

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ATP World Tour Finals

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The ATP World Tour Finals is the season-ending competition in men's professional tennis, featuring the top-eight singles players (and doubles teams) in the world rankings. Participants are split into two groups of four for round-robin play before traditional semifinal and final rounds determine a champion. Evolved from the year-end tournament known as the Masters Grand Prix that began in 1970, the ATP World Tour Finals has been held at the O2 Arena in London since 2009, when Barclays became the event sponsor. Roger Federer won a record-breaking sixth season-ending title in 2011.

The origin of the ATP World Tour Finals dates back to 1970, when the International Tennis Federation set up a grand prix structure of year-long events to culminate with a Masters event in Tokyo in December that featured the top-ranking men's players for that season. (The ITF rival tour, the World Championship Tennis Tour, also featured a season-ending event at the time, the WCT Finals.)

Ilie Nastase won four Masters titles in five appearances between 1971 and 1975, as the ITF became linked with the Association of Tennis Professionals, which would eventually run the men's tour. The year-end Masters moved to other major cities around the world in its first decade, including Paris, Barcelona, Boston, Melbourne, Stockholm, and Houston, before establishing a home at Madison Square Garden in New York from 1977 to 1989.

Bjorn Borg of Sweden won back-to-back events in 1979 and 1980, while American John McEnroe won three titles in his hometown. Ivan Lendl reached nine consecutive finals from 1980 to 1988, winning the championship in five of those years.

The event's name was changed to the ATP Tour World Championships in 1990, and it was held in Frankfurt and Hanover in Germany from 1990 to 1999. Those championships were dominated by Pete Sampras of the U.S., who won five titles during that period to tie Lendl's record mark.

The ITF and ATP made additional changes after the 1999 competition, when the ATP Tour World Championship and the men's Grand Slam Cup (a tourney held between 1990 and 1999) were discontinued and replaced by a new jointly owned, year-end men's event called the Tennis Masters Cup. Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten made history in the inaugural Tennis Masters Cup (played in Lisbon, Portugal) by becoming the first South American to finish the year with ATP's No. 1 ranking by defeating Sampras and Andre Agassi in the semifinals and final, respectively.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt won on home soil when the Tennis Masters Cup moved to Sydney in 2001, and he repeated as champion the following year in Shanghai. After two years in Houston -- with Roger Federer of Switzerland the victor both times -- the tournament returned to Shanghai for a four-year run from 2005 to 2008. Federer won successive titles in 2006 and 2007 before Novak Djokovic captured his first Tennis Masters Cup in 2008.

The event was renamed in 2009 as the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, with the O2 Arena in London named as host for the 2009 through 2012 tournaments. After Nikolay Davydenko won the 2009 edition, Federer claimed the trophy for a fifth time in 2010, equaling the mark of most individual titles set by Lendl and Sampras. He followed that up with another win in 2011, setting the event record with his sixth championship.

Format/Qualification

Qualification of entrants for the ATP World Tour Finals is based on ATP Tour rankings for that calendar year:

1. A selection list for the event includes: a) The top seven players in the ATP rankings as of the Monday after the final ATP World Tour tournament of the calendar year; b) Up to two Grand Slam winners from that year, in order of their positions, ranked between 8 and 20 in the ATP rankings as of that qualification date; and c) Players positioned eight and below in the ATP rankings as of that qualification date.

2. Direct Acceptances: The top-eight players in the selection list qualify for the event as direct acceptances. All direct acceptances must be available for play through the completion of the round-robin competition and the knockout competition, if eligible. Any withdrawal is replaced by the next highest positioned player on the selection list.

The O2 Arena is a multipurpose indoor arena located in London that has hosted numerous sporting events and musical/entertainment acts. Part of a larger O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, the arena was opened in 2007 after three years of construction that redeveloped the Millennium Dome venue that housed the Millennium Experience in the city.

With an overall diameter of 365 meters and a volume equal to two of London's old Wembley Stadiums, the O2 Arena is the second largest arena in the United Kingdom. Various seating arrangements can be set up for events at the arena, which can hold a maximum capacity of 20,000.

The O2 Arena has played host to NHL regular-season games, NBA exhibition games, a number of UFC mixed martial arts events and the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2009. The facility was selected to serve as the home for tennis' ATP World Tour Finals from 2009 to 2012 and will become a venue for gymnastics and basketball events at the 2012 Olympic Games.

ATP World Tour Finals Year-by-Year Results

Gravy on a grand season.

Novak Djokovic is your top dog for a reason. He held off Roger Federer 7-6 (6), 7-5 to win the World Tour Finals championship. Story »

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS QUICK FACTS

2012 atp world tour finals field.

Novak Djokovic and his journey from divisive lightning rod back to the top of the game

In the fog of three more Grand Slam titles, another ATP Tour Finals championship, and yet another ridiculous season in what has been a ridiculous career, it’s hard to remember just how rocky it all was a year ago for Novak Djokovic. 

In hindsight, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s legacy as the greatest player of the modern era as secure as it can be, the glide path to all this appears smooth and inevitable. It has not been. Not throughout his career, or even through this past magical year when Djokovic journeyed from his role as the sport’s lightning rod to its grand elder statesman. 

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“Last year’s circumstances I used as a fuel for this year,” Djokovic said just past midnight Sunday morning, with one last match to play, but knowing better than anyone how far he had come.

In the largest picture, the outcome Sunday evening against Jannik Sinner hardly mattered. But when the final point of the final tournament of the year ended, Djokovic, predictably, had yet another title, beating Sinner, the hometown favorite 6-3, 6-3 to win the ATP Tour Finals for a record seventh time. The win redeemed his loss to the talented and fast-improving Italian last Tuesday and further delayed a changing of the guard that will come one day, but seemingly not anytime soon. 

It was his seventh tournament triumph in 12 starts this season, an astounding winning percentage in a sport where even the best players end most of their weeks with losses. Djokovic had Sinner on a puppeteer’s string all evening, moving him all about the court, then shaping winners into the open space, or drawing errors from a still-developing talent not quite ready to meet the moment — or beat the greatest player of the modern era twice in a week. Who is?  

“Today I saw that I still have to improve,” Sinner said when it was over.  He has plenty of company.

Even before Djokovic walked onto the court, he had already achieved every objective for the year. He came within a set of winning all for Grand Slam titles in the same year for the first time in men’s tennis since 1969; he broke the record for most Grand Slam singles titles, then broke it again; he wrestled the No. 1 ranking away from Carlos Alcaraz, the 20-year-old Spanish sensation, and finished the year on top of the rankings. 

Beyond that, a player who so often wrested controversy out of calm evolved into something he had never been, dimming even recent memories of how divisive he could be, and how far from elder statesman status he was.

But go back a little more than a year. It’s the fall of 2022. Djokovic had not played a competitive match since Wimbledon. He missed the summer season as he could not get into North America because he refused to get vaccinated for Covid-19, a decision that damaged his reputation with huge swathes of the population for more than a year. 

His two biggest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the most beloved players of the era, held hands and cried during Federer’s retirement ceremony at the Laver Cup that September. Djokovic, the third member of the so-called Big Three, was off to the side, both figuratively and literally. 

For the rest of the season, he had to scour vaccination regulations to build a schedule that would make up for the lost time over the summer and get him ready for the ATP Finals. Meanwhile, his team of lawyers were busy negotiating with Australia’s government to get him eligible for the Australian Open, which seemed like a longshot. 

The previous January, Australian authorities detained and deported him over the vaccination controversy, a deeply wounding experience for his psyche and his reputation. The deportation came with a three-year suspension of his visa, unless he received special permission that is rarely given. In addition, the U.S., where the tennis tour travels in late spring and then through the second half of the summer, showed no sign of changing its vaccination rules, meaning Djokovic appeared likely to miss a huge chunk of the season, and perhaps two of the four Grand Slams, for a second consecutive year.

Inside the sport, leaders were questioning the intentions of the nascent players’ organization he co-founded, the Professional Tennis Players Association. Rumors floated about whether the organization would attempt to launch a breakaway tour in the style of LIV Golf, with funding from Saudi Arabia.

The first positive news came in mid-November, when the Australian government reinstated his visa. For the next six weeks, he fretted over the reception that awaited him there. The government and the media had attempted to turn him into the embodiment of a rich athlete seeking a special privilege, a message that millions of inhabitants of the island nation who had endured more than a year of lockdowns gobbled up.

Ultimately, Australia gave him a lukewarm but hardly hostile welcome. Still, Djokovic told Serbian journalists he took special pleasure in the 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 fourth-round demolition of Alex de Minaur, the country’s top player. Then his father was photographed celebrating a win with a fan holding a Russian flag. Serbia and Russia have historic ties. Djokovic was a public enemy once more and forced to answer uncomfortable questions about his views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He made it clear he was against all wars and tried to set the issue aside, but when he won the title, he collapsed in tears on the ground beneath his team, releasing the emotional strain of the past weeks.

And then, other than a mid-tier tournament in Dubai in February, he was gone once more, unable to enter the U.S. for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, or the Miami Open, two of the biggest stops on the ATP Tour. When the clay court swing began, in April, the losses piled up. Ahead of the French Open, his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, said Djokovic had berated his team, telling them he wasn’t adequately prepared. 

“I was doubting my game, a lot,” he said Sunday, recalling that time.

The retrospective videos will show Djokovic pushing Alcaraz into cramps and exhaustion in the semifinals, then two days later donning a jacket emblazoned with the number “23” to celebrate his surpassing Nadal and tennis history in the race for the most Grand Slam titles. They will likely skip over the self-imposed crisis of the first week, when he scrawled “Kosovo is the [heart symbol] of Serbia ” on a glass in front of a television camera in response to violent clashes in Kosovo, putting himself once more in the middle of a battle that has plagued the Balkans for nearly 1,000 years.

Djokovic’s message came after violence broke out following a decision by Kosovo’s leaders to take control of ethnically Serbian areas of the country. This move defied the Western nations managing the international oversight of the region. Critics accused him of aligning himself with fascism and philosophies that led to ethnic cleansing.

“I’m aware that a lot of people would disagree, but it is what it is. It’s something that I stand for,” he explained. Then he allowed for a moment of broader reflection on yet another dust-up. 

“ Drama-free Grand Slam, I don’t think it can happen for me,” he said.

Nearly everyone else in tennis spent the next weeks at tournaments in England, Germany and Spain, competing on grass to prepare for Wimbledon. Djokovic went hiking in the Azores with his wife, Jelena, then cruised into the Wimbledon final.

This was where it always goes right for Djokovic, a master of grass-court tennis. And then it didn’t. Somehow Alcaraz, who was supposed to be a few years away from being able to adapt to slick subtleties of the grass, figured it out in a hurry. When he rose from the edge of defeat and prevailed in five sets, the sport decided it had its torch-passing moment.

Djokovic absorbed the chatter, went on vacation with his family to the waters of Croatia, then traveled to the U.S. for the first time in two years, the echoes of the chatter about the start of the Alcaraz era still reverberating.

First came his revenge over Alcaraz, in the heavy heat of the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati that early in his career was his Kryptonite. The U.S. Open, the Grand Slam that has given him more inexplicable trouble than any other, delivered a third-round, late-night scare from his countryman Laslo Djere, who surged to a two-set lead before Djokovic surged back. And just as Djokovic closed in on a title, he decided to rub the vanquished Ben Shelton’s nose in his defeat by stealing the young and rising American’s “hang-up-the-phone” celebration gesture, giving the fortnight a bit of his trademark spice. Old habits die hard.

“He wants to improve,” Ivanisevic said Sunday night. “That’s good news, and also bad news for us.”

The efforts have befuddled and demoralized, for the moment at least, the best of the latest “next generation” of stars, just as they did the last one. They are unable to comprehend how he sustains his level in game after game and match after match.

“You have to play your hundred per cent,” Alcaraz said after his Saturday night drubbing. “If not, you’re dead.

Djokovic will try to win the Davis Cup with Serbia in Malaga, Spain in the coming days. Then comes a well-deserved month-long break, a post-Christmas exhibition against Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia, and then it’s off to Australia to start anew, trying to find the right balance between his professional and personal lives that may be the toughest puzzle for him to solve as his young children grow. 

The journey continues.

(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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Matthew Futterman is an award-winning veteran sports journalist and the author of two books, “Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed” and “Players: How Sports Became a Business.”Before coming to The Athletic in 2023, he worked for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is currently writing a book about tennis, "The Cruelest Game: Agony, Ecstasy and Near Death Experiences on the Pro Tennis Tour," to be published by Doubleday in 2026. Follow Matthew on Twitter @ mattfutterman

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Rafa Nadal to make Barcelona comeback, Emma Raducanu to face Angelique Kerber in Porsche Tennis Grand Prix opening round in Stuttgart

Emma Raducanu heads to Stuttgart after a good performance in the Billie Jean King Cup, beating Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry to help Great Britain into the Finals; Cameron Norrie joins Rafael Nadal in Barcelona with Jack Draper playing in Munich this week

Tuesday 16 April 2024 15:36, UK

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Emma Raducanu will face Angelique Kerber in the opening round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart with Rafael Nadal set to make his comeback in Barcelona.

Raducanu heads to Stuttgart after a successful weekend in the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers where she beat Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry to lead Great Britain to a 3-1 win over France and a spot in the Finals.

Kerber, a champion in Stuttgart in 2015 and 2016, is set to compete at the Porsche Tennis Arena for the first time since 2022 and, like Raducanu, plays after being handed a wild card.

• Need help with your serve? Watch Emma Raducanu's MASTERCLASS!
• Novak Djokovic: I don't have a clear idea who will be my next coach
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World No 1 and two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will also feature in the WTA 500 tournament, which includes eight of the world's top 10.

The top four seeds, Swiatek, Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina have first-round byes for the indoor clay-court event.

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Swiatek is bidding to become the first three-time champion in Stuttgart since Maria Sharapova swept the titles from 2012-2014.

Jelena Ostapenko opens against Linda Noskova with the winner will face either Raducanu or Kerber.

What tennis is live on Sky Sports?

Live tennis scores/schedule

Stream live tennis and more with NOW

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Main draw in Stuttgart (WTA 500), where Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina are the top seeds. pic.twitter.com/kXeRdM7L58 — WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 14, 2024

In Munich, Britain's Jack Draper has been drawn to face Czech Vit Kopriva in the opening round, with Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune the top two seeds.

Who's playing in Barcelona?

Rafael Nadal looks set to make his long-awaited return to action at the Barcelona Open, although the 12-time champion has a couple of days to decide whether he is fit enough to face Flavio Cobolli.

Nadal, who has not played a match since the Brisbane International in January, is set to face 21-year-old Cobolli in the first round at 3pm BST on Tuesday - live on Sky Sports Tennis .

However, the Spaniard has yet to make a decision about whether he is fit enough to play and he will continue practising on his favourite clay surface in the lead-up to the tournament, which begins on Monday.

The 37-year-old 12-time champion in Barcelona has been forced to delay his comeback after picking up a micro muscle tear in Brisbane.

He has already withdrawn from the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo Masters, with the French Open starting on May 20, where he is a record 14-time winner.

Nadal’s Barcelona Open draw

R1: Cobolli R2: De Minaur R3: Popyrin/Fils QF: Humbert/Davidovich Fokina SF: Tsitsipas/Alcaraz F: Ruud/Rublev/Khachanov

Should Nadal defeat world No 63 Cobolli, he will face fourth seed Alex De Minaur in the second round.

The Australian is enjoying the best season of his career having broken into the world's top 10 for the first time.

Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the event due to injury.

The world No 3 pulled out of the Monte-Carlo Masters with a right forearm problem and has not recovered in time to defend his title in his home country.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who brushed aside Casper Ruud to claim his third Monte-Carlo Masters title in four years on Sunday, is in the draw

British No 1 Cameron Norrie has a bye to the second round, while Dan Evans o pens his campaign against American Brandon Nakashima with second seed Andrey Rublev awaiting the winner.

Where to watch the Barcelona Open?

The live action from the Barcelona Open will be available to watch and stream on Sky Sports Tennis.

What's the schedule?

Monday 17 April 10am - Main Draw First Round

Tuesday 18 April 10am - 2nd Round

Wednesday 19 April 10am - 2nd Round

Thursday 20 April 10am - Round of 16

Friday 21 April 10am - Quarter-finals

Saturday 22 April 12pm - Semi-finals

Sunday 23 April 12pm - Doubles and Singles Finals

How to watch play on Sky Sports Tennis

Sky Sports has confirmed a new home for tennis in the UK and Ireland, with Sky Sports Tennis on Sky and NOW, making tennis content available all day, every day for fans.

Sky Sports will broadcast more live tennis than anywhere else, bringing over 4,000 matches from more than 80 tournaments a year on the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as full coverage of the US Open, all exclusively live.

Non-Sky subscribers can stream live matches with a NOW Sports Day and Month Membership , via Sky Sports Tennis , Sky Sports Arena , and Sky Sports Mix channels.

For further access, fans will also be able to follow their favourite players and gain deeper insights from both Tours via Sky Sports News , the Sky Sports app, on SkySports.com and via Sky Sports social channels.

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Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket, Tennis and so much more.

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

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ATP Tour Championship Tennis

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• SEGA of America, Inc.
• SIMS Co., Ltd.
• #301 on Genesis

Description

In this quasi-sequel of Wimbledon , Sega secured the ATP license, bringing 32 players (including Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Stefan Edberg) plus a few others from the Senior Tour (among six others, legends such as Ilie Nastase and Stan Smith), as well as the option to create four players that can be developed in the ATP Tour mode. Each player has seven attributes that define their control and power in both serve, forehand and backhand, as well as their footwork. Four court types are available which affect the speed and bounce of the ball in different ways, and 11 real ATP tournaments are available to play.

There are three game modes: Exhibition match, Exhibition Tournament (where the player competes in a 32-player tournament), ATP Senior Tour Event (where the player chooses one of the retired players and competes in a 8-player tournament) and the ATP Tour, where it's possible to create a player and develop his skills by winning (or simply doing well) on tournaments, with one extra point on each round won.

Gameplay uses a simple 3-button layout, where the A button lobs the ball, B performs a controlled passing shot and C allows the fastest top spin shots, with the directional pad affecting the direction and depth of the shot.

• Console Generation Exclusives: Sega Genesis
• SEGA Sports games

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21 People (16 developers, 5 thanks)

Average score: 72% (based on 12 ratings)

Average score: 3.4 out of 5 (based on 5 ratings with 0 reviews)

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• MobyGames ID: 24602

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Game added by Luis Silva .

Game added October 25, 2006. Last modified January 27, 2024.

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© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Novak Djokovic Curses at Heckling Fan During Match at Monte Carlo

• Author: Madison Williams

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic lost to Casper Ruud in his semifinals match at Monte Carlo on Saturday in three sets, and the frustrations on the court were high.

There were some tennis fans in the crowd who heckled Djokovic throughout this high intensity match, and the 24-time Grand Slam champion reached his breaking point when he was down 3–4 in the third set.

After Djokovic hit a shot out, a fan shouted and triggered the Serbian. Djokovic yelled back at the fan with a NSFW response: "Shut the f--- up!" He kept shouting at the fan, but it is unclear what he said as the chair umpire was speaking over him.

(Warning: There is bad language in this video)

Novak Djokovic to the crowd: SHUT THE F*CK UP! 🔥 Who else loves it when Djokovic stands up to hecklers? pic.twitter.com/hOwuyZVDCa — Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) April 13, 2024

This definitely wasn't the first time Djokovic has shouted at a fan to be quiet during a match- and it surely won't be the last.

Djokovic lost 4–6, 6–1, 4–6 to Ruud. The Norwegian went on to lose in the Monte Carlo finals on Sunday to Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in two sets.

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