London calling for Djokovic as Serb’s streak ensures O2 place
UNSTOPPABLE Novak Djokovic has already qualified for the ATP Tour Finals in London later this year – six months early.
The Serb has booked his place at the end-of-season tournament at the O2 with an incredible 39-match winning streak that has already garnered seven titles this season.
Djokovic’s latest triumph came at the Rome Masters, where he beat world No1 Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday, 24 hours after edging out Britain’s Andy Murray.
It was the 23-year-old’s fourth defeat of Nadal already in 2011, and he looks certain to replace the Spaniard at the top of the rankings in the next few weeks.
His coronation could even come at the French Open, which gets underway on Sunday. His main rival for a second grand slam of the year is likely to be Nadal, whose mastery on clay is underlined by his five triumphs at Roland Garros.
Tantalisingly, should they meet in the final again, at stake could be not just the title but also the No1 spot and, for Djokovic at least, a victory that would equal Guillermo Vilas’s record for the longest winning run on the ATP Tour, which stands at 46.
STREAKERS | LONGEST WINNING RUNS
46 Guillermo Vilas (1977)
44 Ivan Lendl (1981-82)
42 John McEnroe (1984)
41 Bjorn Borg (1979-80)
= Roger Federer (2006-07)
39* Novak Djokovic (2010)
*ongoing