2022 ATP Finals: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan met Novak Djokovic after the latter’s victory over Casper Ruud in the ATP Finals on Sunday in Turin.
Several prominent athletes and celebrities watched the former World No. 1 in action at the Pala Alpitour, including Ibrahimovic. Following the game, the two exchanged pleasantries, gave one other a loving embrace, and took pictures.
At the end-of-season competition, Novak Djokovic, 35, displayed a tennis masterclass in his seventh final. The 21-time Grand Slam champion came up big when it counted, taking the lone break of the opening set in the 12th game to seal the victory. In the second, he only needed one break to tie Roger Federer’s record of six ATP Finals victories.
The Serb also became the oldest winner of the competition while earning the largest pay cheque ($4.74 million) ever given to a tennis player for an undefeated run in Turin.
Ibrahimovic is presently out following knee surgery, while Djokovic finished the year in the top five of the ATP singles rankings after winning 18 of his final 19 matches.
“I’ve always thought of myself as the world’s top player.” Novak Djokovic
Due to his stance on the COVID-19 vaccination, Novak Djokovic had a stop-start 2022 season, missing six major events (two Grand Slams and four Masters 1000s).
Additionally, despite winning Wimbledon seven times, he did not receive ranking points because Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from competing after Russia invaded Ukraine. The powerhouse Serb, though, was able to enter the ATP Finals without requiring the Grand Slam title exemption (reigning Major winner finishing in the top 20).
The World No. 5 continued his ruthless streak on indoor hardcourts while making his second trip to the Pala Alpitour, going undefeated in five matches to make tennis history. He gave a sneak preview of his elite mentality in his post-game press conference, saying:
“I’ve always thought of myself as the world’s top player. I tackle things in such a mindset and manner. No matter who is on the other side of the net, what the surface is like, what season it is, or what number of the professional season in my career, we are up against. It never changes. The goals are as high as they can be.”
He could not have imagined a finer way to round off his 2022 season, as the 35-year-old is scheduled to compete in the Australian Open the following year.
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