Djokovic wins record 7th ATP Finals title, defeating Sinner in straight sets

Novak Djokovic ended the year just as he started it — by setting records.

The top-ranked Djokovic won a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday with a straight-set victory over home favourite Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic took one hour 43 minutes to win 6-3, 6-3 as the Serbian continues to break records at the age of 36.

He started 2023 with a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and went on to win his 23rd Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, breaking Rafael Nadal's mark. Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, also won the U.S. Open.

"One of the best seasons I've had in my life, no doubt," Djokovic said from Turin, Italy. "To crown it with a win against a hometown hero in Jannik, who has played amazing tennis this week, is phenomenal."

Djokovic entered the match tied with Roger Federer on six titles at the season-ending tournament for the year's top eight players.

And he stretched out his arms and beamed broadly after clinching his seventh when Sinner double faulted.

The victory had echoes of the clinical way Djokovic dispatched second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday's semifinal encounter.

"I'm very proud of the performances these last two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and Medvedev at the moment, and the way they have been playing I had to step it up," Djokovic said.

"I had to win the matches and not wait for them to hand me the victory and that's what I've done. I think I tactically played different today than I have in the group stage against Jannik, and just overall it was a phenomenal week."

It was his fourth win over Sinner, who had recorded a first-ever victory against Djokovic in the group stage in Turin and was the