TURIN (Italy): Novak Djokovic moved to the last four ATP finals for the 10th time with a comfortable victory over Andrey Rublev in Turin on Wednesday.
The number one world, bid to equalize the record six titles Roger Federer at the end of the season, set aside the fifth seed Rublev 6-3, 6-2 to secure the 50th victory of this year’s match.
Djokovic, thanks to a victory in a row, has wrapped up the top position at the Green Group.
Casper Ruud Norwegian plays the British Alternate Cameron Norrie later on.
The 34-year-old Djokovic wants to cover the extraordinary year who saw it only missed the completion of the Grand Slam calendar with defeat by Daniil Medvedev on the US Open.
He played Norrie in his last Round-Roundin match on Friday.
A repeat match with Medvedev second place in the final in Italy is still a possibility, with Russian rule champions sitting on the Red Group.
Djokovic bid back-to-back title after returning to the earlier action this month successfully at Master Paris, beating Medvedev in the final.
Serbia has not won the ATP final since 2015, lost the final in 2016 and 2018 for Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev, while also falling in the last four matches with Dominic Thiem last year.
However, the grand slam champion 20 times too strong for Rublev, serving 14 aces and hitting 19 winners passing their truncated opponents.
He broke twice on each set of matches which only lasted 69 minutes.
Previously, Norrie replaced Stefanos Tsitipas in the lottery after the Greek star was pulled by an elbow injury.
The number four world has refused to comment on the problem after losing his opening to Rublev, but acknowledged on Wednesday the injury that forced him to retire from his first match in Paris was still inhibiting it.
“I have made a very difficult decision to retire from the final 2021 due to my elbow injury, which has bothered me for several weeks now,” Tsitipas said.
“It’s a very difficult decision from my side.” Djokovic’s victory left Norrie with an outdoor opportunity to make a semi despite playing less match than its rival.
The young Italian young man Jannik Sinner was in the same position in another group, after replacing Matteo was injured and then saw Hubert Hurkacz on Tuesday.