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Novak Djokovic
Jannik Sinner is two victories away from becoming the first home male player to win the Italian Open in half a century. And it doesn't seem like anybody can stop him - either in Rome or at the French Open that starts in 10 days. The top-ranked Sinner landed shots on the lines repeatedly in a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over No. 14 Andrey Rublev to reach the semifinals Thursday and move past Novak Djokovic with a record 32nd consecutive victory in Masters 1000 events - the biggest tournaments outside the Grand Slams. "I don't play for records. I play just for my own story. And obviously at the same time it means a lot to me," Sinner said. The last Italian man to raise the singles trophy on the red clay of the Foro Italico was Adriano Panatta in 1976. Panatta will present the title to this year's champion on Sunday, with Italian President Sergio Mattarella also slated to attend the final. "It's a special tournament for me," Sinner said. Sinner's semifinal opponent will be 2023 Rome champion Da
Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters after having skipped the Miami Open with a right shoulder injury. "We send him our best wishes and hope to see him back on court very soon," the clay-court tournament wrote Friday in announcing Djokovic's withdrawal in an Instagram message. The post didn't specify the 38-year-old Djokovic's reason for pulling out, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion hasn't played since losing in three sets to Jack Draper in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open two weeks ago. A year ago at Monte Carlo, Djokovic lost in the second round to Alejandro Tabilo. Djokovic, ranked No. 3, has not commented on his social media channels about the withdrawal.
Defending champion Jack Draper beat five-time champ Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. The 24-year-old Draper, who is coming back after missing eight months due to an arm injury, advanced to the quarterfinal round and will face Daniil Medvedev, who beat Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 16 to advance. Djokovic led 6-5 in the third set before Draper rallied and forced a tiebreaker. "I still don't feel like I'm playing anywhere near the way I want to play," Draper said. "I came out here and I won that match through determination." In addition to his win at Indian Wells last year, Draper won the Stuttgart Open and the Vienna Open, both in 2024. The 38-year-old Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, won at Indian Wells in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016. Djokovic nearly won an 11th Australian Open title earlier this year, but lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open semifinals after Lorenzo Musetti retired in the third set with an injury Wednesday after taking the first two sets. The fifth-seeded Musetti won the first two sets 6-4, 6-3 but took a medical timeout for treatment on his upper right leg after being broken in the third game of the third. He played on for another game but couldn't continue. Djokovic, who was leading the third set 3-1, will continue his bid for an 11th Australian title and a record 25th major but he says he was lucky this time. "I feel really sorry for him," the 38-year-old Djokovic said. "He was a far better player (today) - I was on my way home tonight." He will play the winner of Wednesday's later quarterfinal between No. 8 Ben Shelton and two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner.
Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the ATP Finals for the second year in a row, shortly after beating Lorenzo Musetti in a near three-hour final to win the Hellenic Championship. Djokovic said a shoulder injury would prevent him from playing in the season-ending event for the top eight men's players that starts on Sunday in Turin, Italy. "I'm sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury," Djokovic said in a post on social media. The decision means Musetti will take his place, even though his loss to Djokovic initially handed the final qualifying spot to Felix Auger-Aliassime. Djokovic has won the ATP Finals seven times but the 24-time Grand Slam champion also missed the tournament last year because of an injury. On Saturday, the Serb rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Musetti to clinch his 101st career title. The 38-year-old Djokovic also set a men's record with his 72nd title on hard courts, one more than Roger Federer. "An incredible battle," Djokovic said
Novak Djokovic battled through a tough opening set before pulling away to defeat Chile's Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (3), 6-1 at the Hellenic Championship, the first top-tier tournament held in Greece in more than 30 years. Both players held their serve under pressure in the first set until Djokovic edged out the tiebreaker. The momentum shifted in the second set, where the top seed broke Tabilo twice and completed the match in just over 90 minutes. Djokovic's win secured him a spot in the quarterfinals at the ATP 250 event, as elite-level tennis returned to Greece for the first time since 1994. The Telekom Center crowd in Athens offered constant support for the 38-year-old Serb, who moved with his family to Athens earlier this year. It feels really like home playing in Athens, Djokovic said in an on-court interview. More than recognition for my tennis achievements, I felt that people here approached me in a friendly and humane way, and that touched my heart. Djokovic had lost his past tw
Novak Djokovic improved to 19-0 in the first round of the U.S. Open, battling through some leg troubles to beat Learner Tien 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Djokovic had his hands on his knees multiple times in the second set and received treatment on his right big toe after it. But after having his serve broken in the first game of the third set, he won the next five games to regain control Sunday night. It was the 24-time Grand Slam champion's first match since Wimbledon and one that made it tough to tell if the 38-year-old remains a real contender to win a fifth title in Flushing Meadows. He rolled through the first set in just 24 minutes, then looked weary in a second set that took nearly an hour longer. The No. 7-seeded Djokovic has made a career of wearing down his opponents, but he looked like the one who was feeling it physically in the second set against an opponent who was half his age. To be quite honest with you, I wish I had Learner Tien's age but that's not possible, Djokovic said