On Sunday, Novak Djokovic equalled Roger Federer’s record of six Nitto ATP Finals titles after defeating Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 in the championship match at the prestigious season finale in Turin, Italy.
The Serbian also went undefeated during the event, winning all three of his group stage matches as well as his semifinal contest against Taylor Fritz and the final against Ruud. This victory marks his first ATP Finals title since 2015 and he is now the oldest champion in tournament history at 35 years old. He has also won the event in three separate cities and across three different decades.
As for Ruud, his first runner-up finish at the ATP Finals caps a memorable 2022 campaign for the talented Norwegian. In addition to his three titles, he also reached two Grand Slam finals at Roland-Garros and the U.S. Open as well as his maiden Masters 1000 final in Miami and a semifinal showing at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal this summer. The 23-year-old will finish the season at no. 3 on the ATP rankings behind Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
Meanwhile, Canada’s own Félix Auger-Aliassime made his ATP Finals debut in Turin this year thanks to a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour. He finished the group stage of the tournament with a 1-2 record and earned his first career triumph over Nadal in the process. The 22-year-old Montreal native lost a thrilling three-set match to Fritz when a win would have qualified him for the semifinals against Djokovic. He finishes 2022 ranked no. 6 in the world and is in Malaga, Spain this week as he attempts to lead his country to Davis Cup glory alongside his compatriots Gabriel Diallo, Alexis Galarneau, Vasek Pospisil, and Denis Shapovalov.
