Jannik Sinner made history as the first Italian ever to reach the last four of the ATP Finals on Thursday after Novak Djokovic beat Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-1.
World number four Sinner is guaranteed at least second spot in the Green Group thanks to Hurkacz, who played his only match of the season-ending tournament as a replacement for injured Stefanos Tsitsipas, claiming a set against Djokovic.
The Serbian world number one is now sweating on his semi-final place despite a second win from three matches, as his qualification hinges on the result of Sinner’s final match with Holger Rune later on Thursday.
“It’s hard but it’s what I’ve chosen to do. I’m happy to have won the last match of the group, the rest is out of my hands,” said Djokovic to Sky Sports.
“I finished the match well, let’s see what happens next.”
Sinner could deliberately lose against Rune and knock Djokovic out while still going through, denying the 24-time Grand Slam champion the chance of winning a record-breaking seventh Finals.
Although Hurkacz poured cold water on that notion, saying that his friend will go all out to win.
“I think you’re here to win matches, so that’s what he’s going to try to do,” Hurkacz told reporters.
“He qualified himself by winning his two first matches. He’s obviously a great guy. Yeah, he’s been playing really amazing tennis.”
Being knocked out early would be a disappointing end to what has been an age-defying 2023 from the 36-year-old who won three Grand Slams and took his 1000 Masters crowns to 40, another record.
However, a win over fellow young gun Rune would give Sinner first place in the group and likely mean missing on-form Red Group leader Daniil Medvedev in the semis.
Djokovic now has to hope Sinner does beat Rune, who is more rested than the Italian after only having to play three games in his match with Tsitsipas on Tuesday before the Greek dropped out of the tournament injured.
He took control at the end of the first set when he rattled off nine points in a row to take a 6-0 lead in the tie-break and then seal the set.
However, he threw away his serve to love in game five of the second set and two games later looked on in disbelief as Hurkacz rammed home four consecutive aces from 15-40 down to go to within one game of drawing level.
Hurkacz easily saw out the set, drawing warm applause from the home crowd, and with the third set almost irrelevant the Pole collapsed against a visibly annoyed Djokovic.
