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IMAGE: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in motion throughout his group stage match towards Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. {Photograph}: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
World primary Novak Djokovic beat ATP Finals alternate Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1 of their Inexperienced Group conflict on Thursday and superior to the semi-finals after Jannik Sinner edged Holger Rune 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 within the night match.
Djokovic’s dropped set towards Hurkacz, who changed the injured Stefanos Tsitsipas in Turin, confirmed Jannik Sinner’s spot within the semi-finals – making him the primary Italian within the event’s 54-year historical past to achieve that stage.
House favorite Sinner additionally clinched prime spot within the group with a 3-0 file after his massive win over defending champion Djokovic 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) on Tuesday.
Enjoying with nothing to lose, Poland’s Hurkacz was a pressure to reckon with on serve — firing 24 aces within the match — however he ran out of steam within the closing set as Djokovic transformed break factors for the primary time within the contest.
Regardless of Djokovic notching his fifteenth victory over a top-10 participant this yr, equalling his finest file since 2018, the Serbian was clearly pissed off after the win when requested why he appeared upset when issues went awry in the course of the second set.
“Why was I upset? For what? I misplaced the set, so it is regular … Good win, good win,” he stated in an interview that lasted lower than 20 seconds earlier than he walked off the courtroom.
Break factors have been in brief provide in an absorbing first set as Hurkacz made issues troublesome for world primary Djokovic when he opted to serve first and commenced with a sequence of unreturned serves within the opening video games.
Hurkacz is the one participant on the ATP Tour with over 1,000 aces in 2023 and the 26-year-old was aggressive together with his strategy on a lightning-quick floor.
However at 6-5 down, Djokovic switched gears and received 10 factors in a row to take the competition right into a tiebreak, establishing six set factors within the blink of an eye fixed.
Though Hurkacz saved one set level, the Serbian closed out the set to take the higher hand.
Nevertheless, the Pole stormed again into the match within the second set with the gang firmly behind the underdog whereas Djokovic appeared distracted, handing Hurkacz the primary break when he made a double fault.
Hurkacz practically handed again the benefit on serve when main 4-3 with Djokovic going 40-15 up, however his highly effective serve got here to the rescue as soon as once more to disclaim the Serbian a break earlier than he served out the set to pressure a decider.
Nevertheless, that was all Hurkacz needed to supply as his unforced error depend continued to climb. Though the Poler hit extra winners than Djokovic, he additionally made 41 unforced errors which proved to be the distinction.
Sinner, having fun with the most effective season of his profession, reached 60 victories in 2023 after a fierce battle towards world quantity eight Rune.
The Italian wanted solely 32 minutes to clinch the primary set courtesy of a powerful serve and two early breaks, trying on the right track for a clean victory.
However the feisty Dane rallied to carry his serve and take the second set by capitalising the fourth of his break probabilities towards a diminished Sinner, who continually grabbed his decrease again in obvious ache.
Down 4-3 within the decider, Sinner saved an important break level because of an ace, then struck within the subsequent sport to interrupt serve and seal his first win over Rune.
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