The Serbian got it Novak Djokovic. He is already looking into the eyes of the Swiss Roger Federer with six Masters Cups after defeating the Norwegian Casper Ruud in two sets, 7-5 and 6-3, at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, after a match that places him in the privileged position of Master of Masters, who redeems him from a season marked by controversy and with which he has pocketed the largest financial prize in the history of tennis.
Djokovic’s millionaire prize
The tournament in Belgrade could not have been better, undefeated. He arrived with his clear goal and he has had no rival on his favorite ground and in what is usually the best time of the season for him.
He picks up the crown from the German Alexander Zverev after having struck down the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Russians Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev, and the American Taylor Fritz.
His last stumbling block, the one that separated him from a glory that he had not known since 2015, was the Norwegian sensation, who reached the final in great shape, as a reward for a great season that is left without a finishing touch that, in the event of to have achieved it, would have been more than deserved.
But ‘Nole’ was very much ‘Nole’. Plugged in, fast, accurate and eagerly, the Serbian took a very even first set and in which Ruud gave in, again, to a great.
He was able to take the lead very early, in the second game, but he missed his double break opportunity and kept the equalizer. He again had another break to move up 5-3, but Ruud withstood the onslaught, clenching his fist as he held serve, releasing some tension. But the third time was the charm. There were too many concessions before a titan who this time attacked the ball and won the first set (7-5). Ruud does not stand out for showing emotions. Neither positive nor negative. Neither on the track nor outside. But he felt uncomfortable on the way to his seat, as if he knew that it was almost impossible for him to overcome his rival, looking at his bench in search of a solution that never came and thinking, perhaps, of the other three finals he had lost throughout of the year.
The worst omens of Oslo did not take long to be confirmed. Djokovic broke his second serve of the set and confirmed the ‘break’ by winning his own. Four to one up in the blink of an eye, he had the game on track. The stands turned to Ruud, as they did to all of Djokovic’s rivals, trying to enjoy a little more of a final with a great tennis level, but which seemed too short considering the rhythm of the veteran tennis player.
The Serb asked for the support of the stands before the last point. He knew he was the winner and wanted to enjoy the moment. An hour and thirty-two minutes after he launched this final of finals, ‘Nole’ signed a direct kick -the ninth of his account- that made him champion of champions, the oldest in history to achieve it, Master of Masters with Federer, automatically placing himself at the top of this prestigious tournament that continues to resist Nadal, the only great that he does not have in his showcase.
The prize money for Djokovic is $4,740,300the largest given in the history of the sport.
EFE
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