Before the ATP finals, only two players of the younger generation had the prestige of beating the undisputed GOAT of tennis, Novak Djokovic, and that belonged to Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz.
In the final of the Paris Masters last year, Rune, then only 19 years of age, achieved a remarkable victory over Novak Djokovic, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, to secure his first title at the Masters 1000 tournament. 20-year-old Alcaraz, on the other hand, stunned Djokovic 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 in an epic final showdown at Wimbledon.
And now, at the ATP finals, Jannik Sinner joined the exclusive club, when he upset Djokovic at the Pala Alpitour.
Sinner defeats Djokovic
Prior to the start of the season-ending tournament, Sinner said he was looking forward to the match against Djokovic because, in his opinion, it would give him an idea of where his skills are currently at.
“Djokovic will tell me where I am…I hope to meet him as soon as possible, already in the group, these are the important games for growth, the ones for which I say ‘I win or I learn,” Sinner said via Corriere.
Sinner put on an astounding performance in the first set, winning it 7-5 in front of the home crowd. But the second set turned out to be a little more difficult since Djokovic was likewise unwavering.
Djokovic won the second set and escaped a close call with a score of 6-7.
But in the third set, Sinner, who looked like he was on fire, won again, 7-6 to give the Italian crowd a match that’s one for the ages.
As soon as he won the last point, Sinner broke into a wide smile and put his hands up in the air in celebration.
The last 3 players to beat Novak Djokovic:
Holger Rune.
Carlos Alcaraz.
Jannik Sinner.
The New Gen has arrived. pic.twitter.com/RNwBzHBo4K
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 14, 2023
In a post-match interview, Sinner stated that there was no more beautiful place to defeat the first-ranked player in the world. Additionally, Sinner acknowledged that the support of the crowd was a key factor in his success and that the match was a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
This victory marked Sinner’s first win against Djokovic.
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Cover Photo: IG