World number one Novak Djokovic secured his seventh Paris Masters title in style and made history by becoming the first player to capture 40 Masters ATP 1000 titles. The top-seeded Serbian dominated the final, defeating Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov with a score of 6-4, 6-3.
Djokovic’s remarkable achievement in Paris further extends his lead in the race for the year-end number one spot over second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is now fully prepared to compete in the ATP Finals with the goal of solidifying his position.
Reflecting on his triumph, Djokovic shared his thoughts, “It’s incredible to be able to win after quite challenging circumstances for me this week. Coming back from the brink of losing three matches in a row on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I was close to losing those matches and somehow managed to find an extra gear when it was needed.”
In a contest featuring the two oldest players in the world’s top 20, Djokovic made his move early, breaking Dimitrov for a 4-3 lead in the first set and securing it comfortably in just 51 minutes.
Dimitrov, ranked 17th, has only managed one victory over Djokovic in their 12 previous encounters, which occurred a decade ago. Although the 32-year-old Bulgarian displayed more resistance in the second set, he was unable to prevent Djokovic from claiming his 40th Masters title.
This victory places Djokovic four Masters titles ahead of his closest rival, Rafa Nadal. Moreover, he is now just three wins away from reaching the milestone of 100 Open Era titles, with only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) above him in this elite club.
Djokovic’s win extended his remarkable winning streak to 18 matches since his defeat in the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz in July, making him a formidable contender for the season-ending ATP Finals, commencing on November 12.
Dimitrov, who missed an opportunity to secure his first title in six years, was visibly emotional after the match. Djokovic, displaying sportsmanship and empathy, halted his on-court interview to embrace Dimitrov.
“I’ve been in these situations before many times… losing finals,” Djokovic stated. “I’ve been blessed to, of course, win more finals than I’ve lost. I really hope he’ll continue to play at a high level. He’s been playing some of his best tennis this week, and I wish him all the best. I hope he can win big events.”
