Djokovic downs Fritz, faces Ruud for record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title
Turin, Italy - Novak Djokovic re
mained on course for a recordequalling sixth ATP Tour Finals title after a 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6)
win over Taylor Fritz in Turin on Saturday.
Djokovic brushed off his bruising encounter with Daniil
Medvedev the day before to boss the semi-final against the ninth-seeded American.
The 35-year-old set up a meeting with Norway’s Casper Ruud who at 23 years of age will
bid for his first major title after * sweeping past Russian Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 in the second semi-final in northern Italy.
The Serb has beaten world number four Ruud in all three of their previous meetings including this year in the semi-finals in Rome.
Djokovic will aim for his second major title of the year, after Wimbledon, having missed a significant part of the season, including the Australian Open and
the US Open, for his refusal to take the covid vaccine.
“Of course, the last match of the season, I’m going to give it all. I’m going to obviously try my best,” said the Serb.
“I’m very happy to be able to compete for another big trophy, one of the biggest ones that we have in our sport.”
Victory in Sunday’s final will also see him equal Roger Federer’s haul of six wins in the tournament comprising the top eight players in the world this season.
“I had to fight to survive,” said Djokovic, who has now reached the final of the season-ending
event eight times and last won in 2015.
Ruud played in two Grand Slam finals this year at Roland Garros and the US Open, and is participating in the season-ending elite eight-player tournament for the second time, having being eliminated in the semi-finals last year. Ruud took advantage of a below-par Rublev who had seen off Medvedev and Stefanos Tsit
sipas.