Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka congratulated Novak Djokovic on another “record-breaking performance” following his triumph at the 2023 ATP Finals.
The former world No 1 highlighted the Serbian’s ability to “elevate his level of play and determination to win no matter what” after defeats as “the most underrated thing in tennis.
Djokovic produced a scintillating display to down world No 4 Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the ATP Finals in Turin on Sunday. His victory saw him surpass his great rival Roger Federer by reaching a record total of seven titles at the year-end championships.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion suffered a three-set defeat to Sinner in a thrilling contest in his second group stage match at the tournament.
The 36-year-old responded by beating Hubert Hurkacz in three sets in his final round-robin encounter, before dropping just 11 games across his wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the knockout stage.
Djokovic rated his performances against his two young rivals as the two best matches he has played during his incredible 2023 season in his post-final press conference.
The world No 1’s reaction to his painful five-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final has been remarkable, with the Serbian winning his next four tournaments.
Since Wimbledon in July, Djokovic has triumphed at the Cincinnati Masters, the US Open, the Paris Masters and last week’s ATP Finals – with his only loss his round-robin defeat to Sinner.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic Aims for Serbia’s Second Davis Cup Title.
In a post shared on Twitter / X, Azarenka identified the way Djokovic is able to respond and improve following defeats as the most overlooked quality in the sport.
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“Novak’s ability after a loss to elevate his level of play and determination to win no matter what is the most underrated thing in my opinion I have seen in tennis! Congratulations on another record breaking performance @DjokerNole,” wrote the 34-year-old Belarusian.
Azarenka, the current world No 22, won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, while she was a runner-up at the US Open in 2012, 2013 and 2020.
Djokovic will conclude his season at the 2023 Davis Cup Final 8 knockout stage in Malaga this week, where he is aiming to lead Serbia to a second title in the team competition.
