Novak Djokovic beats Grigor Dimitrov to win 40th Masters title

Novak Djokovic secured a historic seventh Paris Masters title and claimed his 40th Masters title overall on Sunday, cementing his status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

The world’s number one player, Djokovic, defeated the unseeded Grigor Dimitrov with ease in a commanding 6-4 6-3 victory.

This triumph marks Djokovic’s sixth title of the year 2023, which includes three Grand Slam victories and the prestigious Masters trophy in Cincinnati.

The Serbian tennis star has dominated on hard courts this season, winning an impressive 33 matches and suffering only a single defeat.

In what was his 58th Masters final, Djokovic faced little resistance from his Bulgarian counterpart. Dimitrov, currently ranked 17th in the world, was playing in only his second Masters final.

Dimitrov’s chances were shattered as Djokovic broke his serve once to claim the first set. In a moment of weakness, Dimitrov hit a weak backhand into the net, giving Djokovic the advantage.

As Djokovic served out the first set, he was greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos from the Bercy crowd. With a smile, Djokovic gestured to the crowd, asking for more support.

Former world number three Dimitrov failed to replicate the strong form he displayed throughout the tournament, committing 19 unforced errors in the first set compared to Djokovic’s 10.

The second set followed a similar pattern as Djokovic smoothly navigated his way to victory, securing a double break against Dimitrov.

Up next, Djokovic will be participating in the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, where he is the clear favorite to clinch his record-breaking seventh title. Additionally, this victory further solidifies Djokovic’s position as the year-end number one player in the world, a record he has extended for the eighth time.

Prior to Djokovic’s singles final, the doubles final took place. Mexican player Santiago Gonzalez and Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin triumphed over the Indian-Australian duo Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden, securing their second Masters title of the year with a hard-fought 6-2 5-7 10-7 victory.