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Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 7-6 (5) to win his first title of the year at the Rome Masters on Sunday. It marked his sixth triumph in the Italian capital and a record-extending 38th in Masters 1000 tournaments.
Playing his 12th Rome final, Djokovic made a brisk start, breaking Tsitsipas' serve thrice to bag a 30-minute opening set. However, with the Serb getting tight at the start of the second, Tsitsipas found his mojo, breaking Djokovic to open up a commanding 5-2 lead.
After failing to serve out the second set, the young Greek was extended to a tie-break, where he found himself down 5-2. To his credit, Tsitsipas rallied to get back on level terms. However, Djokovic slammed the door shut, winning the next two points to reign supreme in Rome for the sixth time.
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In the process, the 34-year-old achieved a few milestones. Let's take a look at five of them:
#1 Novak Djokovic becomes oldest Rome winner
Novak Djokovic scripted history in his 12th final at the Foro Italico. With his straight-sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Serb replaced Rafael Nadal as the oldest player to triumph at the Rome Masters.
Nadal was 34 years, 11 months and 13 days old when he reigned supreme at the Foro Italico for the 10th time last year. Djokovic beat that mark by 10 days to become Rome's oldest champion.
Incidentally, Nadal had beaten Djokovic in the 2021 final to become the oldest player to win the tournament, a record that would last only a year.
#2 Novak Djokovic extends Big 3's streak of winning Masters 1000 title on clay to 19 years
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are called the Big 3 of men's tennis because of their achievements. The trio have won a staggering 102 Masters 1000 titles between them, with 41 of these triumphs coming on clay.
These include Nadal's 11 titles in Monte-Carlo, 10 in Rome, four in Madrid and one in Hamburg. Djokovic has won twice in Monte-Carlo, six times in Rome and three times in Madrid. Federer's four Masters 1000 titles on clay comprise three triumphs in Hamburg (no longer a Masters 1000 tournament) and one in Madrid.
Federer's Hamburg win in 2004 kickstarted the Big 3's streak of winning at least one Masters 1000 title on clay every calendar year. After Tsitsipas won in Monte-Carlo this year and Carlos Alcaraz triumphed in Madrid, it looked like the streak would come to an end, but Djokovic's Rome victory kept it alive.
Nadal notably lost in the third round of the Rome Masters to Denis Shapovalov.
#3 Djokovic becomes first player to win 'big' events on grass, clay, outdoor hardcourt and indoor hardcourt 6 times
Novak Djokovic has a stellar resume, winning big titles (Grand Slam / Masters 1000 / ATP Finals) on all surfaces.
The Serb is a nine-time Australian Open and six-time Miami Open winner (both outdoor hardcourt tournaments). He has also triumphed six times at Wimbledon (grass) and the Paris Masters (indoor hardcourt).
With his win over Tsitsipas on Sunday, Djokovic won the Rome Masters for the sixth time. In the process, he became the first player to win big titles on grass, outdoor hardcourt, indoor hardcourt and clay at least six times.
To put his achievement into context, Federer has won eight titles at Wimbledon (grass), six at the Australian Open (outdoor hardcourt) and six ATP Finals (indoor hardcourt). However, he has only won three titles at a claycourt event (Hamburg).
#4 Novak Djokovic wins a title without dropping a set for the 20th time
Novak Djokovic's triumph at the Rome Masters on Sunday marked the 20th time the Serb won a tournament without dropping a set.
Only six other players in history have won more titles than the Serb without dropping a set. The list is topped by Rafael Nadal (30), followed by Ivan Lendl (28), Jimmy Connors (27), John McEnroe (27), Guillermo Vilas (21) and Roger Federer (21).
#5 Novak Djokovic extends 'Big Title' lead over Nadal and Federer
With his win at the Rome Masters on Sunday, Novak Djokovic extended his 'big title' lead over his Big 3 peers Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic's Rome win was his 63rd big title, which comprises 38 Masters 1000, 20 Grand Slams and five ATP Finals titles. The Serb is now five clear of Nadal on the leaderboard. The Spaniard has 37 Masters 1000 and 21 Grand Slam titles.
Federer, meanwhile, is third with 53, having won 28 Masters 1000, 20 Grand Slam and six ATP Finals titles.
The next player on the leaderboard is Pete Sampras, who captured 14 Grand Slam, 11 Masters 1000 and five ATP Finals titles.
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