Novak Djokovic downs Daniil Medvedev to claim sixth Paris Masters title ahead of Australian Open

ByGraham Ruthven

Updated 07/11/2021 at 17:15 GMT

World number one Novak Djokovic clinched the year-end number one place for a record seventh time by beating Hubert Hurkacz in Saturday’s semi-final and backed that up by going all the way in the French capital against Daniil Medvedev in what was an intriguing rematch of September’s US Open final at Flushing Meadows.

Novak Djokovic won a sixth Paris Masters and a record 37th Masters 1000 title after coming from a set down to beat Daniil Medvedev 4-6 6-3 6-3 in Sunday’s final.

The 34-year-old clinched the year-end number one place for a record seventh time by beating Hubert Hurkacz in Saturday’s semi-final and backed that up by going all the way in the French capital.

In a rematch of September’s US Open final, Medvedev took the initiative by breaking Djokovic in the first game of the match before the world number one made good use of the drop shot to break back soon after.

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Djokovic upped his level to draw more errors from his opponent, but it was Medvedev who grabbed the next break in the seventh game of the first set. The Russian consolidated and held serve once more to clinch the opener 6-4.

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This only prompted the world number one to lift his game further with Medvedev increasingly unable to hit through Djokovic, who broke in the fifth game of the second set.

Medvedev had break points as Djokovic attempted to serve it out, but the Serbian did enough to secure a deciding set.

By this stage, both players were playing at an astonishing level, but it was Djokovic who made the breakthrough in the third set, making good use of the slice to take a 3-2 lead.

A series of unforced errors by Medvedev handed Djokovic the double break at 5-2. However, the world number one failed to serve it out at the first attempt as Medvedev got one of the breaks back.

Djokovic broke again in the very next game, though, to get over the line and move ahead of Rafael Nadal for the most Masters 1000 titles ever won.

'To pass my childhood idol is incredible' - Djokovic on surpassing Sampras with new record

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