Djokovic's thirst for success unquenched

Novak Djokovic ended the year just as he started it — by setting records.

The top-ranked Djokovic won a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday with a straight-sets victory over home favorite Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic took 1 hour, 43 minutes to win 6-3, 6-3 as the Serbian continues to reach new heights at the age of 36.

He started 2023 with a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and went on to claim his 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy at the French Open, breaking Rafael Nadal's mark. Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, also won the US Open.

"One of the best seasons I've had in my life, no doubt," Djokovic said. "To crown it with a win against a hometown hero in Jannik, who has played amazing tennis this week, is phenomenal."

Djokovic entered Sunday's final tied with Roger Federer on six titles at the season-ending tournament for the year's top eight players.

And he stretched out his arms and beamed broadly after clinching his seventh when Sinner double-faulted.

Djokovic has no intention of slowing down after capping another incredible year.

Asked what else he can accomplish in tennis, Djokovic joked: "Well, you can win four Slams and Olympic gold".

"I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That's not going to be different for the next year, that's for sure. The drive that I have is still there," he added.

"Motivation, especially for the biggest tournaments in sport, is still present... For me, obviously those are Grand Slams and Finals, and next year hopefully also Olympic Games."

The Olympics will take place from July 26 to Aug 11 in Paris, starting less than two weeks after Wimbledon and finishing shortly before the US Open.

Djokovic won a singles bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. Winning gold is now a major career goal sandwiched into an already draining season, one which will take its toll on all the top players let alone one heading toward his late 30s.

"It is definitely one of the major goals for next year, other than Grand Slams," said Djokovic.

"It's going to be a very congested schedule with going from the slowest to the fastest surface in sport back to the slowest. Clay, grass, clay, then hard court. Obviously that's a very demanding, challenging stretch of the year."

The victory had echoes of the clinical way Djokovic dispatched second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday's semifinal encounter.

"I'm very proud of the performances these last two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and (Daniil) Medvedev at the moment, and the way they have been playing I had to step it up," Djokovic said.

"I had to win the matches and not wait for them to hand me the victory and that's what I've done. I think tactically I played differently today than I have in the group stage against Jannik, and just overall it was a phenomenal week."

It was his fourth win over Sinner, who had recorded a first-ever victory against Djokovic in the group stage in Turin and was the first Italian to reach the final.

But Djokovic, who first won the ATP Finals in 2008, was in imperious form on Sunday and won 14 straight points from the end of the first set to the third game of the second to leave him firmly in control and subduing the Turin crowd.

Ranking record

Djokovic had already secured the year-end No 1 ranking for a record-extending eighth time by winning his opening match at the ATP Finals.

After this tournament, Djokovic will become the first player to hold the No 1 ranking for 400 weeks, with Roger Federer at 310 the only other man to eclipse the 300-week mark.

It was also only the second time in the last 15 years that a player has made the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments and the ATP Finals. The only previous occasion was when Djokovic did it in 2015.

Sinner came into the final having won all of his matches in Turin and backed by a fervent home crowd, who had dreams of him becoming the first Italian to win the tournament in its 54-year history.

But the 22-year-old Sinner could offer little in response to a masterclass from Djokovic, especially in a blistering first set that lasted just 38 minutes and saw the Serbian win 20 of 22 service points. Djokovic also served up 13 aces during the match.

"Congratulations to you (Novak) for this week and not only: You started the season by winning and you ended it by winning, you won three Slams and many other tournaments," Sinner said.

"What else is there to say? You're an inspiration not only for all those watching, but especially for the players.

"I also want to thank my team …we saw also today that I can still improve a lot but we can look at the positive things from this season. When we started the year I was one player and now I'm another. Thanks to you who have helped me understand so many things."

Both Djokovic and his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, predicted that Sinner, who claimed four tour-level titles this season, will one day win Grand Slams and top the world rankings.

And his performances at the Pala Alpitour arena have been cause for great optimism within Italian tennis.

"He's an inspiration because he worked throughout the whole years before, when he was younger, in the right way to get to this point. That's also one of my goals," Sinner said of Djokovic in the post-match news conference.

"It's not only about watching one season. You watch this season, and you say, OK, I played good. But you have to play well every season, and you have to get to a certain age, which is 35, 36, 37, whatever, and you can still feel the body in the right way."

Agencies