Djokovic has reached his eighth final and is aiming for a double record

Novak Djokovic, 35 years old and world number 8, he flirted with tennis history again. A record hunter, he has two in his hand this Sunday, at 7 p.m. He will play his eighth ATP Finals final against the best in the other semifinal, facing the Norwegian in the night session Casper Ruud and in russian Andrei Rublev.

The Serbian prevailed against the American rookie taylor fritz25 years old and nº 9, the replacement of the injured Carlos Alcarazby 7-6 (7-5) and 7-6 (8-6) in 1h.54′ of play at the Pala Alpitour in Turin.

“I wasn’t feeling well, but I found my tennis at the right time,” explained ‘Nole’ to fans with a bruise in his eighth finals in an ATP Finals tie up. He blamed the three and a quarter hours he had spent the previous day on losing Daniel Medvedevwhen he didn’t need it because the crossing was safe with the rested Fritz.

But Djokovic is competitive, he always wants more, and with experience and the great gift for finding another resource in key points, he survived and stayed in the race for a historic plenary session.

The only undefeated player in the tournament, is seeking the highest economic prize awarded by the ATP, a check of $4,740,300, four ‘kilo’ and a half in euros. And, most importantly, he once again had a chance to match the six titles of the Swiss Roger Federer. The account of the five-time Balkan champion stopped in 2015, after dominating in 2008 and from 2012 to 2015. He has a chance again, a golden one if the physique responds to him and considering that he will have a debutant in front of him in final.

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Djokovic’s seniority was an invaluable ally against the more inexperienced Fritz, who made many mistakes at the start out of sheer nerves. He left the match with more than 30 unforced, although the Serbian was also prodigal in misses with 20. If the American was tense, in the European there was a lead in the legs, a lot of destruction.

‘Nole’ took advantage of other people’s doubts to get 3-2 and serve, but could not hold the ‘break’ as he played a terrible game (3-3). A revealing situation of the shortcomings of one and the other. Before the all or nothing of a ‘tiebreak’, the level rises. Without excuses, they were used to the fullest. Djokovic’s prowess is decisive when walking on a razor’s edge. Experience, break the DNA.

The elements that allowed him to regain ground in a second sleeve where he delivered serve from the start. Fritz grew on serve (15 aces), but the time came to judge that improvement, and he was unable to do so at 5-4. It is true that part of the public screamed early, helping an easy parallel backhand die in the net, which gave Djokovic a ‘break’ ball, but the American was guilty as a novice by not having restraint. And then he surrendered the breaking point against a wonderful rival, who with the ball in play, in exchange, was full of three, four, decisive points.

A situation that was repeated when Djokovic meekly sent a backhand into the net with a ‘match’ point played with serve. ‘Nole’ did not move. A master, with a thousand matches behind him, he then served and forehanded without letting the ball bounce to generate a second match point. Fritz couldn’t find the ‘ace’, he had to play and ended up throwing a drive out. With some relief from a Djokovic physically at the limit, but with a well-oiled head and magic.