Athens, Nov 9 (NationPress) Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic dramatically secured his 101st career title on Saturday at the Hellenic Championship in Athens, simultaneously extinguishing Lorenzo Musetti’s aspirations of qualifying for the ATP Finals. The 38-year-old Serbian showcased his tenacity in a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory in the final, characterized by 13 break points and five breaks of serve during a rollercoaster deciding set. With this win, Djokovic not only claimed his 72nd tour-level title on hard courts but also broke his tie with Roger Federer for the most titles in the Open Era.

As the most accomplished male player in tennis history, Djokovic boasts an impressive 24 Grand Slam titles and ranks among the most successful players on the ATP Tour.

Musetti needed to win the title to surpass Felix Auger-Aliassime and secure the final qualification spot for the season-ending finale in Turin. Although he saved a match point in the semifinals against Sebastian Korda, he was unable to capitalize on a promising start against the former World No. 1 Djokovic in the championship match.

Tien captures first ATP Tour title in Metz

In other news, Learner Tien claimed his first ATP Tour title in dramatic fashion on Saturday at the Moselle Open in Metz, defeating Cameron Norrie 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6). The 19-year-old American found himself down 1/5 in the deciding-set tie-break but showed remarkable resilience to turn the match around and secure the biggest win of his young career. Tien is now set to make his debut inside the Top 30 of the ATP Rankings, becoming the first American teenager to win an ATP Tour title since Andy Roddick in 2002.

Cameron Norrie, who faced another setback in the Metz final this year, aimed to avenge last year’s disappointment but ultimately fell short. He will conclude the season with a 34-26 record, as noted by the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.