Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will bid for a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title when he takes on home favorite Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final after both won their semifinal matches.
Djokovic, 36, took less than 90 minutes to beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 in a match between the top two players in the rankings Saturday night, after Sinner had earlier dispatched Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1.
Djokovic is currently tied with Roger Federer with six titles at the season-ending tournament for the year’s top eight players, while Sinner is the first Italian player to reach the final.
Earlier this week, Sinner, 22, recorded his first-ever victory over Djokovic, who will also have to contend again with a passionate, partisan crowd — including the orange-clad “Carota Boys” — that showed Sinner plenty of support Saturday. With many fans chanting his name between points, Sinner raised his arms to the joyous crowd after serving the match out to love against 2020 champion Medvedev.
“It is a privilege to have this kind of pressure,” Sinner said. “The crowd has given me so much energy.
“It was a very difficult match. He started better than me, then I somehow managed to get the break and then I felt a bit better.”
Sinner has won all four of his matches at the ATP Finals, including that mesmerizing victory over Djokovic.
“He’s been playing fantastic tennis, arguably the best tennis of his life,” Djokovic said. “We played a very close match the other night. The atmosphere was unbelievable, electric really. I don’t expect anything less than that, probably even louder than what we had in the group-stage matchup.
“It’s the final. I’ve been in this situation before many times. I’m really happy with the way I’m feeling, the way I’m playing, so hopefully I can deliver my A game tomorrow.”
Alcaraz and Djokovic had played each other four times previously and won two each. Djokovic won their most recent encounter in the final in Cincinnati in August, while Alcaraz claimed the Wimbledon final with a five-set victory.
The latest battle between the two never hit those levels of drama, as Djokovic clinically took his chances after recovering from having to stave off two break points in the opening game.
“I approached the match with the right attitude, the right mentality, and I knew from the very first point it was going to…
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