Tennis men’s world No. 1 Novak Djokovic this weekend racked up his 1,000th career victory when he made quick work of beating Casper Ruud in straight sets to secure his place in the Italian Open final.
While the Norwegian and world No. 10 briefly managed to fight back at 5-3, he proved no match for Djokovic.
During the second set, the match proved a tight affair before Djokovic finally converted a fourth break-point opportunity to his benefit.
The victory made of Djokovic only the fifth men’s player in the Open Era to secure 1,000 match victories.
His Game-Plan Paid Off
But that was just the beginning for the Serbian.
Djokovic on Sunday capped a truly historic week when he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 7-6(5), thereby securing his 38th ATP Masters 1000 title.
Djokovic outmatched his Greek opponent before a packed crowd, with his win securing his place also as the oldest victor in Rome in nearly 35 years.
According to the Serb, his stellar performance surprised even him on the day. He said he had had a “clear” game plan heading into the match, and while he failed to play a perfect first set, he felt he had made the most of a tight contest.
Djokovic also said the match could have extended as far as a third set, but that he had managed to play the right shots when it mattered most. He said the tie-break had been a tight affair for both him and his opponent.
For Djokovic, Sunday’s final had been his fourth straight victory at the clay-court contest. To date, he has lifted the Italian trophy a total of six times.
Record Week For Djokovic
Djokovic on Monday enters his record-continuing 370th week at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. His win on Sunday also means he’s now defeated Tsitsipas in consecutive years in Rome.
During the run-up to the Rome final, the world No. 1 failed to drop even a single set. He made quick work Felix Auger-Aliassime, Aslan Karatsev, Stan Wawrinka, and Casper Ruud on his way to victory. He also saw his record against tennis’ Top 10 opponents increase to 232-106. Since the start of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 1973, no other player has managed to score more Top 10 wins than Djokovic.
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, had been aiming for his third Masters 1000 title and second win of the season. He now rises to No. 4 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
The Greek earned a Tour-leading 31 wins in 2022.
Hard Work Paid Off
Speaking after his big win on Sunday, Djokovic said his victorious week on the clay had been the result of a great deal of hard work and commitment. Much like when you win big at Grand Rush.
He said he had been building his form over the past couple of weeks, and that his big win could not have come at a better time as he prepares for the French Open at Roland Garros.
For now, the vaccine drama surrounding the world No. 1 seems to have been shifted to the backburner. Following a dramatic opening to the season, Djokovic’s first major tournament win of the season will have come as a welcome change.
