Djokovic matches Federer with 6th ATP title
Novak Djokovic
claimed a record-equaling sixth ATP Finals title by beating the third-seeded Casper Ruud on Sunday at Turin, Italy, to top a fantastic finish to the season for the Serb.
Djokovic won 7-5, 6-3 to secure his first title at the event since 2015 and match Roger Federer’s
record.
The 35-year-old Djokovic, who had lost his two previous finals at the event, raised his arms out and smiled broadly after sealing the match with an ace.
Djokovic became the oldest champion at the prestigious year-end tournament and also earned the largest payday in tennis history as he walked away with $4.7 million for claiming the ATP Finals trophy undefeated.
It was Ruud’s fourth defeat in a major championship match this year after also losing finals at Miami, Roland Garros and the U.S. Open. Ruud has never won a set against Djokovic in four meetings.
Djokovic ended the year with an 18-1 record after winning in Tel Aviv and Astana before reaching the Paris Masters final.
ETC.
Auto racing: Max Verstappen, as usual this season, was far ahead of the rest on his way to a record-extending 15th win of the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came into the race equal on points, just like Verstappen and Hamilton did last year. Leclerc got past Perez by opting for one less pit stop and managed his old tires so that Perez couldn’t get close enough to try an overtake.
Skiing: Overall World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States wasted no time in taking control of a new season, sweeping the two season-opening races at Levi, Finland. Shiffrin posted the fastest time in both runs on the way to her 49th slalom victory, just a day after winning another slalom in Finnish Lapland. No other skier has won more titles in a single competition than the 27-year-old Colorado native. She reached her 68th slalom podium, a record in the women’s competition, one more than U.S.’s
Vonn in downhill races.