Novak Djokovic qualifies for the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin, becomes 2nd player after Carlos Alcaraz to make the cut for the year-end tournament

Novak Djokovic has been at his scintillating best during this week's Cincinnati Open, as evidenced by his 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Taylor Fritz on Friday (August 19) to advance to the semifinals. With his last-eight win, the Serb became the second player after Carlos Alcaraz to qualify for the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin.

Djokovic has qualified for the year-ending tournament 16 times in his career and won the trophy on six of those occasions - 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2022. He also has most appearances at the tournament after Roger Federer, who holds the record at 17.

Djokovic's current ranking points total in the Pepperstone ATP Race to Turin rose to 6,305 points after his victory over World No. 9 Fritz in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals. The 36-year-old has put together a great season in 2023, the highlights of which include winning the first two Majors of the season.

The World No. 2 is also comfortably above every player placed below him in the men's singles rankings. He has a tally of 8,795 ATP points at the moment, which is 2,265 points clear of the next highest-ranked player, Daniil Medvedev.

The 2020 ATP Finals winner is next in line to qualify for this year's ATP Finals, with the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev following closely behind the Russian.

Novak Djokovic ties Jimmy Connors' ATP Finals qualifications, only Federer & Nadal have made the cut more times than the Serb

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal pictured after their 2015 ATP Finals encounter

With his most recent qualification, Novak Djokovic has made the cut for the year-end championships as many times as 8-time Major winner Jimmy Connors (who made 11 appearances at the tournament).

He is now joint-third on the list of most ATP Finals qualifications, with only Roger Federer (18) and Rafael Nadal (17) having been eligible for the event more times in their respective careers. The Serb has played 16 of the last 17 editions of the year-end tournament.

Djokovic only missed out on qualifying for the event in 2017, when he had to end his season mid-way through the year due to a chronic elbow injury.

The 23-time Major winner will be going for a record-breaking 7th title at the year-end tournament in November. Notably, he has won 46 of his 63 matches at the tournament.