6 months ago
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Novak Djokovic became the oldest champion connected the ATP Tour erstwhile the 38-year-old fought backmost to bushed Lorenzo Musetti 4-6 6-3 7-5 to triumph the Hellenic Championship connected Saturday (November 8, 2025), lifting his 101st rubric connected the ATP Tour.
In a marathon brushwood that lasted 1 infinitesimal shy of 3 hours betwixt the apical seeds, Djokovic dropped a acceptable against Musetti connected a hardcourt for the archetypal clip arsenic the Italian battled to triumph the lucifer and seal his spot astatine the ATP Finals successful Turin.
However, Djokovic recovered to triumph the 2nd set, showing nary signs of his advancing years erstwhile helium stretched astatine the nett to play a cross-court driblet changeable doing the splits astatine afloat agelong that got the assemblage roaring its approval.
The play reached fever transportation successful the decider erstwhile an exhausted Djokovic was breached serving for the rubric astatine 5-4.
However, helium rallied erstwhile again to interruption Musetti earlier uncovering his past reserves of vigor to service retired the contention and eclipse Roger Federer by claiming a grounds 72nd hardcourt title.
Djokovic was initially excessively exhausted to observe but, aft embracing the 23-year-old Musetti, the Serbian ripped his ain t-shirt arsenic helium roared successful delight.
‘A GRUELLING MATCH’
“Incredible battle. It’s just, I don’t know, 3 hours ... a gruelling lucifer physically, ace demanding. Lorenzo played truly well,” Djokovic said portion catching his breath.
“It could person been anybody’s game, anybody’s match. So congrats to him for an astonishing show and I’m conscionable precise arrogant of myself to get done this one.”
Djokovic is present 2 titles down Federer successful the ATP Tour’s all-time database portion Jimmy Connors leads the mode with 109.
The effect saw Musetti suffer retired connected the past ATP Finals spot, allowing Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime to suffice for the tourney successful Turin.
“Novak, each clip I stock the tribunal with you, I instrumentality it arsenic a lesson,” said the humbled Italian.
Djokovic present turns his attraction to the ATP Finals wherever helium is acceptable to play his archetypal lucifer connected Monday (November 10). The Serbian is successful the aforesaid radical arsenic Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
