A machine. This is what Novak Djokovic was this Wednesday on the second day of the Green Group at the ATP Finals. The Serbian passed over a blurred Andrey Rublevwho paid for the hazing of facing the world number one for the first time, who He is already in the semifinals (it is the 10th time he has reached them in the tournament) after winning 6-3 and 6-2 in 68 minutes. The victory, together with the loss of Stefanos Tsitsipas due to injury, gave him the mathematical pass to the crossroads and as first in the classificationso his rival on Saturday for a place in the final will not be Daniil Medvedev, leader of the Red Group.
Djokovic, who now surpasses Ivan Lendl in the number of victories in the Masters with 40 (he is only ahead of Federer, who has 59)starred in an exquisite service performance, with 87% of points won with firsts, after his initial mistake in the first game of the match, when he conceded a break that he was able to recover later.
Despite this good intention at the start, Rublev “did not play at his best level.” Nole said it in his analysis of a match, that despite that circumstance, he leaves him very happy. From 3-3 in the first set, the partial favorable to the Balkan was 9-2. Meanwhile, he showed off his elasticity with a couple of incredible defenses. He won very calmly and with hardly any wear and tear. Nor will he surely have it when he faces Cameron Norrie, Tsitsipas’ replacement, on Friday in a duel that will be inconsequential for him. Rublev will take his chances against Ruud. The winner will pass.
He is happy and it shows. He has 50 wins (27-1 in Grand Slams) in 2021, no wonder. At the end of the game he signed, gave a new shirt to a child, signed many autographs, took dozens of photos with the fans’ cell phones and even let one of them kiss him. A small crowd bath that, apparently, he needed and with which he spread happiness.
Results, classifications and calendar.