Djoko out to end year with bang
WITH three of the four grand slam titles and a record six Masters Series crowns scooped up in a year of domination, Novak Djokovic could be forgiven for using the ATP Tour Finals in London as a well-earned lap of honour. Not a bit of it. After a stellar year, the world No 1 arrives in the English capital as the favourite to win the title for a fourth time in succession. The Serb goes into the season finale following victory in Paris where he beat Andy Murray 6-2 6-4 in the final to become the first player in history to win six 1000 Masters titles in a year.
And it’s easy to see why the 28-year-old Djokovic is fancied to grab another title.
He says he has reached the peak of his career by taking a “holistic approach”, leaving nothing to chance.
He put the finishing touches to one of the greatest years in tennis history at the weekend when he swept aside old rival Murray in the Paris Masters.
The event was the final one of the ATP regular season and the victory etched his name in the record books. Djokovic’s achievements are exceptional.
The Serb, who is now firmly in the mix with Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the label of the greatest player ever, insists that on sheer talent alone he would never have hit such dizzy heights.
“I think in terms of physical and mental ability, I have reached my peak experiencewise.”
Here are some of the milestones that Djokovic achieved.
First player to win three grand slams and six Masters 1000 series titles in one year;
First player to reach 14 straight finals in a calendar year;
Won 22 straight matches from August 23 until his win in Paris;
Took his haul of Masters 1000 series titles to 26, just one shy of all-time leader Nadal;
He became the first men’s player to win more than $16million in prize money during a season;
Became just the third man in the Open era — after Laver and Federer — to play in all four grand slam finals in a single year; and
Finished the regular season with a 78-5 win-loss record, the fourth best in history. — PHENOMENAL: World No 1 Novak Djokovic goes into the season finale ATP Tour Finals in devastating form