A great performance from Holger Rune in his debut in the Masters tournament was not enough to neutralize Novak Djokovic, who prevailed 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-3, in three hours and four minutes, achieving his first victory in the Red Group and ensuring that he finished for the eighth non-consecutive year as world No. 1. It was only the beginning of the tournament, but it could well have been the direct fight for the title. A generational confrontation with all the accoutrements of the parties that leave their mark. Few times throughout the season has Nole been seen as demanded as on Sunday night, and early Monday morning when the curtain fell.

More physically complete, despite his 36 years compared to his opponent's 20, who needed attention from the physiotherapist after the third game of the third set, Djokovic pulled through a match that will feed his pride even more. He needed to show off all his experience, the incombustible courage he possesses and the precision in the climactic moments to get rid of the Dane's commendable rebelliousness.

The match started with Rune's first serve return, but that first set ended in a similar way, this time with Djokovic's forehand crosscourt. The beginning and epilogue were in keeping with a magnificent match in which the intrepid challenger stood up from start to finish against his opponent, whom he had already defeated twice, although he had recently lost in Paris-Bercy. It's not enough to play very well to beat Nole; you have to fine-tune at the right moments, mark distance in the spaces and times where he usually moves with singular dexterity.

More stable

There is, in any case, a change of attitude in Rune, who, in addition to being courageous in his approaches, maintained an unusual stability. His association with Boris Becker, vigilant and active in his corner, at the helm of his team since the Basel tournament, will have something to do with it. The Dane gained a serve advantage in both sets, but saw it immediately replicated in both cases. He knocked out a very erratic Djokovic in the second tiebreak, but could not keep the pulse in the outcome.

No one has won the ATP Finals seven times and Djokovic is aiming to do so. No one has finished eight years at the top. The Serbian has few barriers left to break, after reaching his twenty-fourth Grand Slam title in New York and putting himself at the same level as Margaret Court, already with Rafael Nadal two majors behind. In his sixteenth appearance in the tournament that brings together the eight best players of the season, he was also presented as a seven-time champion of Paris-Bercy, the tournament where he catapulted himself to 40 Masters 1000 titles. This victory against Rune looks like another not inconsiderable credential given how much of the tournament is still left.

  • tennis
  • Novak Djokovic
  • Rafa Nadal
  • Articles Javier Martínez