Turin (Italy), Nov 15: Jannik Sinner recorded his first win over top-ranked Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals, delighting a raucous home crowd.
Sinner triumphed 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) in a match spanning more than three hours on Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.
It was the 22-year-old Sinner’s first win in their four head-to-head meetings. It also ended Djokovic’s 19-match winning streak that stretched back to his five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Sinner sealed the result with a smash at the net to send the Turin arena into a frenzy.
The umpire had to tell the fans to be quiet several times during the enthralling encounter as they fervently cheered the Italian player on and also booed Djokovic several times.
The 36-year-old Djokovic, who normally enjoys huge support in Italy, lapped up the boos and even encouraged the fans to up their hostility toward him.
Sinner, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in Sunday’s opener, is now on the verge of reaching Saturday’s semifinals. He next plays Holger Rune, who has one win after Tsitsipas retired early in their green group match and withdrew from the tournament.
Djokovic, who is bidding to break a tie with Federer and capture a record seventh title at the tour finals, will play first alternate Hubert Hurkacz. (AP)
