Top seed Novak Djokovic captured his 101st career title in spectacular fashion on Saturday at the inaugural Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship in Athens.
The 38 year-old Serbian star also won a record-breaking 72nd trophy on hard courts, surpassing Roger Federer (71).
Nole left it all on the court in a lionhearted 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory in the final.
The championship match featured 19 break points and five breaks of serve in a topsy-turvy deciding set.
“An incredible battle. Three hours of a gruelling match, physically,” Djokovic said after the triumph. “It could have been anybody’s match, so congrats to Lorenzo for an amazing performance. I’m just very proud of myself to get through this one.”
Match statistics: aces (6-10), double faults (3-3), winners (35-38), unforced errors (27-32), total points won (100-93).
Musetti will compete in the Nitto ATP Finals following Novak’s withdrawal due to an injury.
“I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best but after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury. I’m truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play. Your support means so much. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the court with you all soon,” Djokovic wrote in a statement.
Photo: Profimedia
