Djokovic advances to the Athens semifinals! His participation in the year-end finals is confirmed

In the early hours today Beijing time, Djokovic defeated Portuguese competitor Borges 7-6(1), 6-4 in the Athens quarterfinals, advancing strongly to the semifinals.

This victory brought Djokovic two remarkable career achievements:

1. It is his 199th time reaching the semifinals in tour-level events, once again demonstrating nearly two decades of outstanding consistency and elite competitiveness.

2. Additionally, this marks his 200th indoor match win, proving his absolute dominance across all types of court surfaces.

During the match, the first set was tightly contested, leading to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Djokovic quickly elevated his game, decisively winning 7-1, showcasing his clutch ability as a Grand Slam champion. In the second set, he secured a crucial break and closed out the set 6-4, maintaining full control throughout the match.

After reaching the semifinals, Djokovic will face German qualifier Hanfmann. They have met twice before, with Djokovic undefeated, giving him a clear psychological edge. For Djokovic, who aims to win the title, this is undoubtedly a favorable matchup.

As the Athens tournament heats up, major news has also come from the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. Djokovic has confirmed his participation in Turin, marking his 18th qualification for this elite event. In his 16 appearances at the Finals, Djokovic has claimed 7 titles, leaving his mark from Shanghai to London and now Turin. This will be his 17th Finals appearance, making him the player with the most participations.

The groups for this season’s Finals have been officially announced, with eight top players divided into two groups for intense battles.

Jimmy Connors Group:

· Carlos Alcaraz

· Novak Djokovic

· Taylor Fritz

· Alex de Minaur

Björn Borg Group:

· Jannik Sinner

· Alexander Zverev

· Ben Shelton

· Lorenzo Musetti / Felix Auger-Aliassime (to be confirmed)

The most notable aspect is Djokovic and Alcaraz both being placed in the “Jimmy Connors Group.” This sets the stage for a highly anticipated “old guard vs. new generation” showdown, likely unfolding during the group stage. Fritz and de Minaur, also in the group, have strong form and multiple wins over top players this season, making the competition for advancement extremely fierce.

On the other side, the “Björn Borg Group” is led by local favorite Sinner, who will battle Zverev, Shelton, and Musetti (or Auger-Aliassime) for a spot in the next round.

For Djokovic, this is a perfect moment to compete on two fronts. In Athens, he is steadily moving toward his 101st title, adding new records to his legendary career; in Turin, a final showdown with the leaders of the new generation is already set. Tennis fans worldwide are watching closely, eager to see him deliver another spectacular performance at the year-end Finals from November 9 to 16.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Mei)