Novak Djokovic secured his year-end number one ranking for a record-extending eighth time by overcoming the spirited challenge of Danish debutant Holger Rune in a thrilling opening round robin match at the ATP Finals. In the match played in Turin's Pala Alpitour on Sunday, Djokovic won 7-6(4), 6-7(1), 6-3, demonstrating his tenacity and experience.
Facing occasional pressure from the dynamic Rune, who impressed the large evening crowd with his explosive play, Djokovic rebounded after a subpar second-set tiebreak. The 36-year-old Serbian, on his quest for a historic seventh title at the year-end tournament, managed to outlast Rune and set the stage for an intriguing clash with Jannik Sinner on Tuesday.
On the tournament's opening day, Italian favorite Jannik Sinner delighted the home crowd with a dream start, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in their Green Group encounter. Djokovic's win on the same day thwarted any chance of Spain's Carlos Alcaraz overtaking him in the rankings for the week.
The match between Djokovic and Rune featured a sensational first set that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Djokovic narrowly clinched the set in a tiebreak, but Rune, a 20-year-old who had won two of their previous four meetings, responded by pushing the match to another tiebreak, which he convincingly won.
Despite Djokovic breaking early in the deciding set, he faced a setback with a poor service game, during which he smashed two rackets. However, Rune faltered at a critical moment, losing focus and expressing frustration towards coach Boris Becker at 2-3. Djokovic took advantage of the situation and won in the end.
Reflecting on the challenging match, Djokovic acknowledged Rune's formidable performance, stating, "It took everything. The first game he was firing shots, and I knew it would be a tough night. He played great, and I played great in moments. The realization that I would become the world's top player made the victory poignant."
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner, ranked fourth in the world, started his ATP Finals campaign impressively with a straight-set win over Tsitsipas. Sinner's powerful serves and venomous groundstrokes, coupled with one service break in each set, led to a comfortable victory. The 22-year-old Italian expressed his excitement, describing the experience of playing in front of a closed roof and an enthusiastic crowd as "such an incredible feeling."
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