Novak Djokovic has done it again. The Serbian has won the season-ending ATP Finals tournament for the sixth time in his incredible career, tying him with Roger Federer for the most ATP Finals titles in history.
At age 35, Djokovic doesn’t appear to be slowing down, so much so that his coach thinks he can get even better.
Meanwhile, despite losing yet another final, Casper Ruud is still proud of the season he’s had and is looking forward to achieving more in his career.
Read on below as SBOTOP delivers the last bits of ATP Finals 2022 news as the season comes to an end.
Djokovic dominant en route to record-tying sixth ATP Finals title
Novak Djokovic has claimed the ATP Finals crown for the sixth time in his career – tying Roger Federer for the all-time record – as he crushed Casper Ruud 7-5 6-3 in the final.
The ATP Finals 2022 betting odds had Djokovic as the big favourite in the final, and he delivered a dominant performance. His service game was particularly strong as he fired nine aces and won 85 per cent of his first-serve points.
Despite dropping down in the ATP Rankings, Djokovic was back to his dominant self in Turin. He defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Taylor Fritz en route to the final and dropped just one set in the entire tournament.
The ATP Finals title caps off a trying year for Djokovic, who fell to No. 8 in the world Rankings after missing both the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as other high-profile tournaments in the US due to his unvaccinated status.
But at age 35, Djokovic says he still has the hunger to win even though he has already achieved so much in the sport.
“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,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “[To] make history in this sport, compete on the highest level all around the world, bring good emotions to sports fans, tennis fans. That’s what drives me a lot.
“I have a lot of different motivational factors, and I don’t lack any motivation for the moment. Of course, we all have bad days or bad weeks. But generally the feeling is still there.”
Coach claims Djokovic can still get better
Novak Djokovic is going strong after winning the ATP Finals at age 35, and his coach Goran Ivanisevic believes the Serb is still capable of getting even better.
“He’s practising even harder than when he was 22. That’s why he’s still so good and that’s why he’s still going to be even better,” Ivanisevic said. “The will to practise, the will to improve, the will to be better is amazing. He’s taking care of his body. In my time we stopped tennis [aged] 30, 31. You were already [an] old guy ready to leave. But now [it is] unbelievable.”
Aside from matching Roger Federer’s record of six ATP Finals titles, Djokovic demolished Federer’s record for being the oldest-ever player to win the season-ending tournament; Djokovic was 35 while Federer was 30 when he set the record in 2011.
While he has some strange health beliefs, Djokovic does follow a strict diet and a fitness regimen that have helped him stay in top form into his mid-30s. And while rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – who looked very rusty in Turin – have begun to break down physically with injuries, Djokovic has yet to show signs that he is about to slow down anytime soon.
Ruud remains motivated amid finals setbacks
Despite his defeat to Djokovic in the final, Casper Ruud still came away from the ATP Finals with a positive attitude.
The 23-year-old Norweigian, who will finish the season at No. 3 in the ATP Rankings, made the final of four major tournaments this year, including both the French Open and the US Open. And while he is understandably disappointed with losing all four finals, Ruud is ready to come back stronger next year.
“In the end it’s been disappointing to end up losing these big finals,” Ruud said. “Overall, if you gave me an offer to end the year at No. 3, play the finals that I’ve played, at the 1st of January this year, I would probably sign the contract right away. No doubt about it.
“It gives me motivation and a hunger to maybe next time, if I ever get to another final like this… I hope I can learn from what I have done this year and not been able to do and see how it goes. I just feel like I still have room for improvements, even though I’m very happy with my game and how things have turned out this year.”
Ruud has already set his sights on next year’s Australian Open, a tournament he was not even able to play in this past season, as he looks to raise his game to another level.
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