Novak Djokovic joins Rafael Nadal & Carlos Alcaraz at ATP Finals with career title #90

Novak Djokovic confirmed his place at the 2022 ATP Finals after lifting his 90th career title in Astana on Sunday. The Serb pulled off an emphatic 6-3, 6-4 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in what was the duo's 10th career meeting. He did not drop a set all week en route to his fourth title of the season.

Djokovic, who couldn't add any ranking points despite his triumph at Wimbledon, was in desperate need of some resounding results to supplement his chances of qualification. Unsurprisingly, the 21-time Grand Slam champion ended up extending his winning streak to 16 matches with title runs in Tel Aviv and in the Kazakh capital.

Novak Djokovic expressed his immediate goal of securing a spot in the Race to Turin at a press conference at the 2022 Laver Cup. Representing Team Europe, the Serb grabbed a win each in singles and doubles.

"The goal is to try to make it to Turin," Djokovic said after the conclusion of the Laver Cup last month in London. "I'm in a good position, bu, still I am 15 or 16 on the race. You've got to be top 20 as a Grand Slam winner. That's the rule in order to make cut and qualify for Turin. My thoughts are obviously on the next few weeks and then I will take it from there."

The 35-year-old joins the likes of World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the season-ending championships, which are slated to take place in Turin, Italy, from November 13-20. The 2022 edition will mark the 15th appearance of the five-time champion.

Players grapple to secure final spots at the ATP Finals

Alexander Zverev won the 2021 Nitto ATP World Tour Finals

With the final leg of the season unfurling this month, players are making one final push to secure their spots in the season-ending championships in Turin. With Novak Djokovic bagging a place in the ATP Finals with an unstoppable run of 16 match wins, there are just three more spots up for grabs.

Last year's finalist Daniil Medvedev was one of the contenders for the title in Astana this week, but a severe muscle pull forced him to retire mid-match in the semifinals. The Russian is currently trailing closely in fifth position in the live race.

Defending champion Alexander Zverev is yet to play a competitive match after suffering ligament damage to his ankle at Roland Garros. With uncertainty looming over his schedule for the upcoming few weeks, his qualification looks unlikely.

The likes of Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime are others locked in a tight tussle to make the qualification cut.