Novak Djokovic won a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title when he defeated Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 in the Turin title match Sunday.
The Serb earned a historic $4.7m payday and matched Roger Federer’s record of six titles in the year-ending tournament for the season’s top-8 players.
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Djokovic said winning a record-equalling sixth ATP Tour Finals title on Sunday was a “deeply satisfying” ending to his troubled and truncated year.
To my wife & children, family, team, sponsors, fans, everyone who stuck with me this year .. the journey has been challenging & we’ve endured a great deal together. I’m humbled by your support & grateful that it got us to this moment. Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏🏼❤️🏆 pic.twitter.com/P9zQhl7O3b
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 20, 2022
“I don’t know what the future holds but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies,” said Djokovic.
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The win in Turin came seven years after his last ATP Finals victory and will lift him from eighth to fifth in Monday’s new rankings.
“In my mind I always see myself as the best player in the world, of course,” he said.
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“I’m not. I’m fifth. This week I probably am. Overall the rankings are showing who had the best year, and (Carlos) Alcaraz is the No 1 in the world.”
Tara in the trophy 😂#NittoATPFinals | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/K9VsuOweBZ
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 20, 2022
The 35-year-old Serb, the oldest player to win the Finals, ended in style after a season in which he missed two majors because of his vaccne status.
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For the 23-year-old Ruud it was a third near-miss of the year. He also lost the finals of the French and US Opens.
“In the end it’s been disappointing to end up losing these big finals,” he said.
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“Overall if you gave me an offer to end the year at No. 3, play the finals that I’ve played, at the first of January this year, I would probably sign the contract right away.”
“I’ve overachieved compared to my own mind, so I’m very happy about that.”
