By Victor Kanayo
Novak Djokovic has now won a record-extending seventh Paris Masters trophy and a 40th Masters title in total after heaping defeat on Grigor Dimitrov.
Specifically, Djokovic beat his unseeded opponent 6-4 6-3 in straight sets in the Paris Masters final.
With the latest triumph, Djokovic, a Serb is close to securing the year-end number one ranking for an eighth time.
History-making Serb
It is the 36-year-old’s sixth title of 2023, which includes three Grand Slam crowns and the Masters trophy in Cincinnati.
Djokovic has been dominant on hard courts this season, winning 33 matches and only losing once.
Playing in his 58th Masters final, the Serb was hardly challenged by Bulgarian Dimitrov, ranked 17th in the world, who was playing in only his second Masters final.
The 36-year-old Djokovic eclipsed his previous record set two years ago as the tournament’s oldest champion, capturing his 40th Masters 1000 title and stretching his winning run to 18 matches.
Djokovic collected his sixth title of the season to draw level with Carlos Alcaraz, adding to the Masters victory in Cincinnati that set him up for a landmark 24th Grand Slam singles crown at the US Open.
Also, it is the second time Djokovic has completed a French Open and Paris Masters double in the same season. Andre Agassi is the only other player to achieve it.
Djokovic’s seventh Bercy crown makes it his most successful Masters event ahead of Miami and Rome, where he has won on six occasions each.
His 97th career title also nudged him closer to Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Djokovic will take a 1,490-point lead over Alcaraz into the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin later this month.
