Djokovic beats Shapovalov, aims to finish the season as year-end No. 1

Novak Djokovic won his 34th ATP Masters 1000 title on Sunday, beating Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4 at the Rolex Paris Masters. Djokovic will now head to the Nitto ATP Finals in striking distance in the battle for year-end No. 1. The Serbian was untouchable on serve and took advantage of an edgy start from Shapovalov.

Djokovic, who is aiming to finish the season as year-end No.1 was in competition with Nadal who was looking to do it for the fifth time in his career. Nadal could have secured the year-end No. 1, but he suffered an abdominal injury ahead of the semi-finals. Speaking about the same Djokovic said,

“I'm sad to see that he's injured because that's not what you want to see, not for Rafa, not for any other athlete. In terms of points, that puts me in a better position after this week. But, again, I have to keep on winning. There's always a chance that I win all my matches in London, that I play well. I have done it in the past, and I like playing there. But it's [an] extremely difficult task, considering who my opponents are going to be,” he added.

Djokovic also had a 3-0 record against Shapovalov before the finals.

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Shapovalov's first ATP 1000 Masters

Shapovalov, on the other hand, was playing his first ATP 1000 Masters title and the 20-year-old is hoping to make history with the win. On Saturday, he announced that he will not be participating in the ATP Next Gen finals citing rest. In a statement, he apologised to the fans for withdrawing from the tournament even though he was excited to play. Giving a reason, he said, “My team and I have made the decision that I need to rest after Paris as my body will not be able to handle another week. Thank you so much for your support.”

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