Djokovic Advances to Athens ATP Final
Novak Djokovic advanced to the final of the Athens ATP tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Yannick Hanfmann on Friday. The 38-year-old Serbian defeated the German qualifier in 79 minutes and will face Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the final.
Musetti Reaches Final After Tough Win
Lorenzo Musetti secured his spot in the final by overcoming Sebastian Korda 6-0, 5-7, 7-5. Musetti needs to win the final to earn a place at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Djokovic Reflects on His Performance
"I think it was the best tennis I've played this tournament," Djokovic said. "Hanfmann poses a great threat because he serves big, has a big game, so I needed to really stay focused."
Breaking the Semifinal Losing Streak
This victory ended Djokovic’s four-match losing streak at semifinal stages, following defeats at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the US Open, and Shanghai. His previous semifinal win was at the Geneva clay event in May, where he later captured his 100th career singles title against Hubert Hurkacz.
Career Titles Context
- Djokovic has 100 career singles titles.
- Only Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) have more.
Match Highlights
Djokovic missed an early break chance at 2-1 in the first set but broke Hanfmann at 3-2 and captured the opening set 6-3. In the second set, despite losing his serve at 2-1, he quickly recovered to level at 3-3, broke again, and then held serve to win the match.
The match took place before a lively, supportive crowd at the event, which replaced the short-lived Belgrade Open on this year’s ATP calendar.
Author’s summary: Djokovic ended his semifinal losing streak with a strong win in Athens and now faces Musetti, who must win to qualify for the ATP Finals.