'What an epic battle' – Novak Djokovic pens positive message for Lorenzo Musetti after Athens triumph

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Finals due to a shoulder injury.

Novak Djokovic recently took to social media and shared a picture with the ATP Hellenic Championships trophy. In the post, he thanked the people of Greece while also lauding Italian tennis star Lorenzo Musetti for his competitive spirit.

He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “I dedicate this win to the wonderful people of Greece. You support me, you support tennis, and you’ve made me feel at home. Huge gratitude also to everyone who made this beautiful new tournament so special.”

He then praised Musetti and wished him a buoyant future ahead. Djokovic further wrote, “To Lorenzo, what an epic battle. Congratulations on an incredible performance and tournament. Keep it going; your future is bright.”

The Hellenic Championships is Djokovic’s second title of the season. His first title came in Switzerland, where he defeated Hubert Hurkacz in the final to win the ATP 250 Geneva Open, his 100th professional title.

Starting his campaign with a win against Alejandro Tabilo in the Greek capital in the Round of 16, the 24-time Grand Slam champion reached the summit clash without dropping a set and recording resounding victories over Nuno Borges and Yannick Hanfmann, respectively.

Facing Lorenzo Musetti in the final, the Serb lost the first set 4-6. However, Djokovic displayed his experience and prowess to stun the 22-year-old and craft a comeback victory in a three-hour thriller, with the final scoreline reading 4-6. 6-3, 7-5.

The 38-year-old has won 101 ATP tour-level titles; only Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) have more titles than him in the Open Era.

With the loss, Musetti was eliminated from the race to the ATP Finals as Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime earned the remaining spot. However, due to Djokovic’s withdrawal from the year-end tournament, the Italian tennis star has secured a place in the competition.

Musetti has been drawn into Jimmy Connors’ group for the year-end competitions, alongside World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur. Meanwhile, his compatriot, Jannik Sinner, is in Bjorn Borg’s group, sharing the space with Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

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