“Everything is now a bonus,” Novak Djokovic overwhelmed with emotions as he secures his 8th year-end World No 1 title after defeating Holger Rune

Novak Djokovic beat Holger Rune in his first match of the robin-round stage to cement his ATP ranking as the #1 player of the season.

“Everything is now a bonus,” Novak Djokovic overwhelmed with emotions as he secures his 8th year-end World No 1 title after defeating Holger Rune

Novak Djokovic (Via Daily Express)

24-time Grand Slam title winner Novak Djokovic ousted eighth seed Holger Rune in the duo’s first clash in the group-stage round at the ongoing ATP Finals in Turin. With his latest win, the 36-year-old has cemented his position as the World No. 1 to end his eighth year with the title.

During the Serb’s latest match against Rune, he ousted the 20-year-old, scoring 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 over three sets in a thrilling clash. With his win against the player, Djokovic is leading the ATP rankings with 9,945 points. 

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He has laid to rest Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz‘s dreams of snatching the No. 1 title from him. Currently leading the ATP rankings as the World No. 2 with 8,455 points, Alcaraz would be unable to reclaim the No. 1 crown even if he won the ongoing event in Turin.

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Following his win, Novak Djokovic talked about how Rune challenged him right from the start in the first game itself.

The 36-year-old stated:

It took everything. It was in the first game when he fired shots from the baseline in the first 3 or 4 points. I knew it would be a tough night for me. If I wanted to win this match, I’d have to work really hard.

The US Open champion shed light on his motivations for the first round as he admitted to being relieved after his first win. Djokovic also added that he was aware of the significance of the match. He shared that the #1 ranking did actually mean a lot to him. The 36-year-old will now face Vienna Open winner Jannik Sinner in his second match in the robin round.

Novak Djokovic talks about achieving his big goal this season

With his win over Danish tennis ace Holger Rune in the first match of the robin round in Turin, Novak Djokovic has successfully established himself at the top of the ATP Rankings list for another season. In an interview following his win, Djokovic told the media that he was eager to win his match to cement his #1 ranking.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic(Image via:FirstSportz)

Djokovic said: 

You could see there was a lot of emotions on the court. I could feel it. I was eager to win tonight & get that monkey off my back.

He further stated that winning the title in Paris prior to the ongoing event had put him in a good spot. With his recent win, the player has achieved a big goal. All the wins following the match will be a ‘bonus’ for Djokovic, as per his admission.

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