Novak Djokovic on Friday evening became the second player to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, joining Carlos Alcaraz at the Pala Alpitour in Turin from 12-19 November. Djokovic guaranteed his spot at the season finale when he defeated Taylor Fritz in the Western & Southern Open quarter-finals.

The Serbian has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals 16 times, tied for third-most qualifications in tournament history with Jimmy Connors. Djokovic has only failed to earn his place in the prestigious event once since 2007 (in 2017).

🚨Qualified 🚨@DjokerNole has punched his ticket to the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin 🥊#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/cv2OHUXsNq

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 19, 2023

One year ago, Djokovic tied Roger Federer’s record of six Nitto ATP Finals trophies. He will now have the opportunity to take the record by himself in Italy.

Djokovic has largely dominated at the majors this season, winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros, while also reaching the Wimbledon final, where only Alcaraz was able to stop him. The 36-year-old owns a 36-5 record in 2023, including an 8-3 record against Top 10 opposition.

A three-time titlist this season — he also triumphed in Adelaide — Djokovic is in contention to claim a record-extending eighth ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour. He is second behind only Alcaraz in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin.

Djokovic will try to improve on his 46-17 record at the Nitto ATP Finals, where only Federer (59-17) has more match wins. The 36-year-old has advanced to at least the semi-finals at the season finale in 11 of his previous 15 appearances.

After improving to 19-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head against Gael Monfils on Thursday, Novak Djokovic made it a perfect 7-0 against Taylor Fritz with a victory against the home favourite on Friday night at the Western & Southern Open.

The Serbian dominated early and late in a 6-0, 6-4 win against the American, battling back from an early break deficit in set two to advance to the Cincinnati semi-finals. The World No. 2 will next face Alexander Zverev on Saturday.

“Every match is a new match, a new challenge for both of us,” Djokovic said of his perfect record against Fritz. “We never faced each other here. Obviously being the No. 1 American, he gets a lot of crowd support.

“I just managed to get off the blocks really strong, played an almost perfect, flawless first set. Then I started off really poorly in the second and handed him the break, but from 2-4 down I played really four solid games in the second. Just overall a great performance.”

Djokovic could reclaim the top spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this week if he wins the Cincinnati title and current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz loses to Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals.

Playing in his first tournament on U.S. soil since 2021, Djokovic is bidding for his third title at the Western & Southern Open (2018, 2020) and a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 singles crown. By reaching his 75th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, he moved within one of Rafael Nadal’s record at the prestigious level.

Most ATP Masters 1000 SFs

Against Fritz, the Serbian won an extraordinary opening set in just 21 minutes, but then double faulted twice to start set two and found himself behind 0-2. From 2-4, the Serbian rediscovered his peak form to race through the final four games and into the semis in just over an hour.

With crisp ball-striking throughout, Djokovic dominated the baseline rallies and never allowed Fritz to stamp his authority on the match with his powerful backcourt game. Outside of a brief purple patch at the start of the second set, the American could not produce his best tennis in the face of Djokovic’s relentless prodding.

The Serbian, who has not lost more than four games in a set in his three wins this week, continues to raise his level with each match.

“That’s something I’m wishing for, that every day I raise the bar slightly more, the level of tennis,” he said. “That’s what’s happening during the tournament. I played three great matches and each day has been a better feeling on the court overall. So hopefully the same trajectory can continue.”

Fritz’s defeat saw him fall to 3-6 in ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals. He was stopped short in his bid to become the first American champion in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2006.

Alexander Zverev extended his perfect Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Adrian Mannarino to 8-0 with a comfortable victory on Friday night at the Western & Southern Open. Zverev cruised through a 6-2, 6-3 win in just one hour, 12 minutes to set up a semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic or Taylor Fritz.

“I feel like the matches that we played, we had a lot of tough battles. I’ve always played him at tournaments when I’ve been playing well,” Zverev said of his unblemished record against the Frenchman.

“I know I have a pretty big game and when I’m feeling well on the court, there’s just a lot of things I can do. That was maybe the reason. If I would have played him at a tournament where I’m not feeling well, if I’m not playing well, he’s beaten a lot of great players in his career. It’s just more about the days that I’ve played him.”

The result also stretched Zverev’s Cincinnati winning streak to eight matches following an 0-6 start in the Queen City, with the German back at the ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time since he won the 2021 title. After winning his first ATP Tour crown since the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals last month on home soil in Hamburg, Zverev is now through to his first Masters 1000 semi-final since the ankle injury he suffered last year at Roland Garros.

The 26-year-old’s quarter-final win lifted him two places into the all-important eighth spot in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, though Fritz could reclaim the position with a win against Djokovic later on Friday evening. Zverev is also up five places this week to No. 12 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, and will re-enter the Top 10 with the Cincinnati title.

“My tennis is coming along quite well,” he said of his recent form. “Obviously it was very important for me after Toronto, where I had a really bad week, to come out here and compete and play some good tennis. I’m happy to be in the semi-finals here.”

The German dominated Mannarino from the start, racing out to a 3-0 lead in both sets and never facing a break point. His most stressful service game came in the final game of the match, when he escaped 15/30 with three unreturned serves. Mannarino did not produce a single winner in the opening set in the face of Zverev’s aggressive game, and while the Frenchman improved in set two, it was never enough to trouble his 16th-seeded opponent.

The win continues a strong week for Zverev, who recorded his first Top 10 win of the season on Thursday against World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev.

Jamie Murray and Michael Venus toughed out a narrow victory Friday to reach the Western & Southern Open semi-finals.

The British-Kiwi duo defeated Italian wild cards Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego 7-6(5), 7-6(7) after one hour, 59 minutes. Murray and Venus saved a set point in each set to reach the last four, where they will meet sixth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin after the Mexican-French team stopped home hopes Christopher Eubanks and Ben Shelton 7-5, 6-7(5), 11-9 in front of a jam-packed Court 3.

Murray and Venus, who are aiming for their fourth tour-level title of the season, defeated Serbians Nikola Cacic and Novak Djokovic in the opening round before upsetting Wimbledon champions Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski. Should they capture their maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown as a team, Murray and Venus would rise inside the Top 8 of the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, strengthening their bid to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals.

In other doubles action, Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni cruised past Nikola Mektic and John Peers 6-4, 6-4 after winning 31 of their 35 first-serve points. They will face second seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek or Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev in the last four.

Carlos Alcaraz survived another three-set test at the Western & Southern Open on Friday, when he ended Australian qualifier Max Purcell’s dream run in Cincinnati.

After clawing past Jordan Thompson and Tommy Paul in deciding sets in his first two rounds, the World No. 1 was made to battle again in his quarter-final clash against Purcell, earning a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in two hours and 11 minutes.

“It was really tough. It was tricky today. He served really well. I think he played well at the net, but I think I played well. I returned well on court and that was the key to getting the win today, to return very well and to focus,” Alcaraz said. “It was not easy but I am really, really happy to reach my seventh Masters 1000 semi-final and first here in Cincinnati.”

Alcaraz is now two wins away from capturing his third ATP Masters 1000 title of the season, while he improved to 52-5 on the year. The top seed is the only player to have earned more than 50 tour-level wins in 2023, with second-placed Daniil Medvedev recording 49.

Alcaraz, who triumphed at Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Madrid earlier this year, holds a 22-3 record at this level in 2023. The Wimbledon champion will continue the quest for his seventh title of the year when he faces Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals on Saturday. Alcaraz overcame Hurkacz in three sets in Toronto last week.

“It was a tough match in Toronto,” Alcaraz said. “He is playing great tennis here and the court is a little bit faster than Toronto, so it is probably better for his game with his big serve. I need to be focused on return to put as much as I can in court.”

In hot conditions in Ohio on Friday, the 20-year-old survived an attacking bombardment from Purcell, who was competing in his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final. The Australian approached the net 61 times, heaping pressure on Alcaraz, who was forced to conjure up a series of stunning passes to stay alive.

Purcell started fast and deservedly led, but was unable to maintain his level against Alcaraz, with the top seed raising his intensity and speed around the court to fend off a spirited display from the 25-year-old. The World No. 1 recovered from squandering a break advantage in the third set, finding the toes of the Australian in the latter stages of the match to advance.

The 20-year-old Alcaraz is chasing a double prize this week in Cincinnati, where the battle for No. 1 is alive. If the Spaniard advances to his eighth final of the season, he is guaranteed to remain atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for a 34th week on Monday. If he fails to reach the championship match, Novak Djokovic would regain top spot by winning the title. The Serbian plays Taylor Fritz in the last eight.

Purcell, who upset World No. 7 Casper Ruud in the second round, is up 23 spots to No. 47 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. Last week the Australian overcame then-World No. 12 Felix Auger-Aliassime in Toronto.

Did You Know?
Alcaraz has spent eight hours and 22 minutes on court across his three matches in Cincinnati.

Hubert Hurkacz defied a remarkable late charge from Alexei Popyrin on Friday at the Western & Southern Open to complete a 6-1, 7-6(8) quarter-final triumph in Cincinnati.

The World No. 20 Hurkacz held five match points at 6/1 in the second-set tie-break before Popyrin reeled off seven straight points to bring up a set point of his own on centre court at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Hurkacz was able to overcome his late wobble, however, winning four of the next five points to complete a 77-minute victory and book a semi-final clash with top seed Carlos Alcaraz or qualifier Max Purcell.

Hurkacz had expertly capitalised on a nervous start by lucky loser Popyrin, who was competing in his first Masters 1000 quarter-final. Despite finding his feet after Hurkacz had raced to the opening set, Popyrin was unable to make an impact in return games. The Pole did not drop a break point and lost just nine points behind serve overall to extend his Lexus ATP Head2Head lead against Popyrin to 3-0.

“I’m really happy, especially with the way I played the first set,” said Hurkacz. “I was returning really well. Alexei raised his level and was serving really good throughout that second set, I just got to the tie-breaker. I got off to a good start, and then Alexei played some good points, but fortunately I battled through for that one.”

Dino Prizmic’s standout season on the ATP Challenger Tour is promising news for the future of Croatian tennis. While what lies ahead may excite fans, his background is a story of its own. The 18-year-old started playing tennis at Tenis Klub Split, where Goran Ivanisevic, Mario Ancic and Mate Pavic also learned the game.

The #NextGenATP star Prizmic recalls being age nine when Ivanisevic told him he was impressed with his game and encouraged him to keep working on his forehand and serve. Not too bad to hear from a former World No. 2.

At age 14, Prizmic started to take his tennis more seriously and moved to the capital city Zagreb, where there were more players to practise with. 

Now, the teen is boasting positive results at the Challenger level that has helped lift him to a career-high No. 175 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, a vast improvement from a year ago, when he was outside the Top 800.

“Challenger tournaments are very important for me to learn about players,” Prizmic told ATPTour.com. “You need to play really good and be mentally ready to physically fight.”

The teen is transitioning to Challengers following an impressive junior career. At this year’s Roland Garros boys’ singles event, Prizmic dropped just one set across six matches to win the title. He has only continued his ascent since triumphing in Paris.

Eight days after his 18th birthday, Prizmic won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour crown in Banja Luka to become the youngest Croatian champion since a 17-year-old Borna Coric in 2014.

Dino Prizmic wins his first ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Banja Luka.” />
^{Dino Prizmic wins the Challenger 100 event in Banja Luka. Credit: Banja Luka Open}

“It’s been a surprise because I think seven or eight months ago, I couldn’t really believe that I would win a junior Grand Slam and a Challenger title,” Prizmic said. “For me it’s a big experience and I think I will continue like this.

“I feel amazing because I know I’ve worked hard this year. I just want to know for myself that this level of tennis is very important. I also want to learn more and play better tennis in the future.”

Prizmic is the first player to win a Grand Slam junior crown and a Challenger title in the same season since Wu Yibing in 2017. The Croatian is also the first player to win the Roland Garros boys’ singles title and a Challenger trophy in the same season since Stan Wawrinka in 2003.

Shortly after Prizmic won on the Parisian clay, Novak Djokovic, who is coached by Ivanisevic, posted an Instagram story congratulating the teen, writing, ‘Čestitke Dino’, which translates to, ‘Congratulations Dino’.

“My reaction was like, ‘I can’t believe it!’ because Novak shared this post on Instagram story,” Prizmic said. “It’s a big thing for me of course because he is my idol and I’m very happy about that.”

Dino Prizmic wins the 2023 Roland Garros boys’ singles title.” />
^{Dino Prizmic in action at the 2023 Roland Garros boys’ singles event. Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}

Prizmic has drawn inspiration from the 94-time tour-level titlist, who claimed his record-breaking 23rd major crown just 24 hours after the teen lifted the junior title.

Motivated by the 36-year-old Djokovic’s physical and mental strength, Prizmic even adopted an all-natural diet akin to the Serbian’s. Prizmic allows one cheat day a year: his birthday.

“I started that when I was 15 because I saw Novak and other players don’t eat sweet things and I just wanted to also do that,” Prizmic said. “On court, I feel very good, not tired. Big difference on energy levels on court.

“I also want to eat right for myself. Beef, eggs, vegetables every day are so important for me. Every time I see [sweets], I don’t want to look there! It’s tough but I know it’s for my tennis, because tennis is my life. I need to do that.”

Prizmic earned his maiden tour-level victory on home soil in Umag last month, when he reached the quarter-finals before falling to eventual champion Alexei Popyrin.

The Croatian is aiming for a maiden appearance at the Next Gen Finals, which features the world’s top 21-and-under players. Currently 16th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, Prizmic is using the Challenger Tour to develop his game before rising to the world’s biggest stages.

“I want to play with the best players on the ATP Tour and so for me, this is just the beginning,” said Prizmic.

Youngest Croatian Challenger Champions

Just after midnight Wednesday morning at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre in Cincinnati, Carlos Alcaraz battled Jordan Thompson on centre court for a place in the third round of the Western & Southern Open.

Outside the stadium waiting at the players’ entrance was Nkeiru Green, a 46-year-old fan from New York who was hoping to meet Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian had lost his doubles match earlier in the evening. One of the perks of being a fan at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 event is that fans have several opportunities to be close to their favourite stars.

“The intimacy of it, it’s not as vast as New York. And you get the chance to actually feel as though you’re much closer to the players, and you get to see all of them,” Green said. “So it’s hard to see that many stars in one location [elsewhere]. And like I said, the intimacy of it, and also the accessibility of it — it’s not so difficult to get here.”

At about 12:30 a.m., Auger-Aliassime walked out of the players’ lounge and was happy to meet Green, who has family in Cincinnati and has been attending the event every year it has been held in Mason since 2014. Throughout the day, passers-by will see dozens of fans like her camped out at the same player walkway to ask for autographs and selfies.

^{Nkeiru Green poses for a photo near the players’ entrance in Cincinnati.}
According to Western & Southern Open Tournament Director Todd Martin, the professionalisation of athletes and the tennis business in general have seen an evolution of the stars’ relationship with the community. But the Lindner Family Tennis Centre is designed to encourage plenty of interaction.

“Our property allows the fans still a closer look, and more opportunity to get an autograph or a picture. And so I think we can continue to upgrade the experience for the fan and for the player, create an even better experience for the player relative to the rest of the Tour,” Martin said. “The fan comes first and we just have to be more and more intentional about providing them access to the player, but appropriate access and access that the player is accustomed to: public interviews on stage, sponsor hospitality visits, autograph signings.

“It’s that level of structure that still has, at its core, a high level of player security and isolation without [the players] being in a bubble.”

Fans do not only get excited to see stars like Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, either. Throughout the grounds it is common to find crowds several people deep to watch practice regardless of who the player is.

Robin Haase was practising early in the tournament and was at the net working on his volleys. With onlookers just metres away, the Dutchman hit a volley into the net and joked with the crowd that he was supposed to hit over the net.

“I think in general for crowds to be able to look at practices, to be able to be that close at practice where they almost can catch a ball, I think that’s a great experience for them,” Haase said. “But also for players I think it’s a good thing because when the crowd is watching, you play a little bit differently, even in practice. So I think it’s a good thing, it helps both of us.”

Martin understands the player-fan relationship in Cincinnati well, having competed in the singles event 10 times. The former No. 4 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings also attended college in the same geographic region, at Nortwestern University.

“For me, it was the pinnacle of Midwest tennis, first of all. Two, it was an opportunity to bump into loads of people that I cared to bump into. And my friends and I turned it into a bit of a annual reunion. Probably shouldn’t forget that it was easier for my parents to get to and all that,” Martin said. “I came here in the early ‘90s for the first time. But even then, there was a distinct sense of intimacy, accessibility and community that pervaded through the property.”

The players have also been impressed with upgrades to the player areas this year. The players’ lounge was completely refreshed and some of the many games that have long been available to the athletes were moved to a newly furnished outdoor location to give the stars more space.

There was also new furniture added to a patio on the third floor, providing another space for competitors and their teams to relax, prepare for a match or unwind after one. On the same floor, there is also a special recovery room to support the players.

The efforts by tournament organisers were recognised by several athletes, including World No. 1 Alcaraz.

“A lot of things changed since last year,” the Spaniard said. “I think the tournament grew up a lot.”