Djokovic Advances to Athens ATP Final
Novak Djokovic confidently reached the final of the Athens ATP tournament by defeating Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. He will face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the final, who won a tough match against Sebastian Korda 6-0, 5-7, 7-5.
Match Highlights
The 38-year-old Serbian player took 79 minutes to overcome the German qualifier. He will meet a highly motivated Musetti, who needs to win the final to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin.
“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 Curse
Djokovic ended a streak of four consecutive semifinal losses at major tournaments, including Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the US Open, and Shanghai. His previous semifinal win was in May at the Geneva clay-court event, where he claimed his 100th career singles title by beating Hubert Hurkacz in the final.
Only Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) have more career titles than Djokovic.
Key Moments in the Match
- After missing an early break chance at 2-1 in the first set, Djokovic broke Hanfmann at 3-2 and secured the set 6-3.
- In the second set, Djokovic lost his serve at 2-1 but quickly leveled the score at 3-3.
- He broke Hanfmann again in the follow-up game and held serve to close out the match.
The match took place in front of a lively and supportive crowd. This year, the Athens event replaced the Belgrade Open on the ATP calendar.
Author’s Summary
Djokovic ended a semifinal losing streak with a strong win in Athens and now faces Musetti in a high-stakes final for a spot at the ATP Finals.