Novak Djokovic begin his 13th ATP Finals campaign cruising to a 6=3-, 6-3 victory over tournament debutant Diego Schwartzman in his opening match of the round robin stage.

The 6-time champion was breaking early but other had little trouble against the Argentine who he has now beaten in all six of their meetings.

“The beginning of the match wasn’t that great for me,” Djokovic said. “He broke my serve in the third …

Serving was the theme of opening day at the ATP Finals. Sunday winners Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem combined to drop serve once in five sets.

Thiem started the event against Stefanos Tsitsipas in a rematch of their 2019 ATP Finals title match thriller. And this time Thiem got his revenge on the Greek behind a 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 victory.

Tsitsipas was in control of the tiebreak leading 4-1 and then 5-3 …

Aryna Sabalenka closed 2020 on the highest of notes, winning her second straight title taking Linz over good friend Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-2.

“This is something amazing,” Sabalenka said. “I don’t want to say anything, and just cross my fingers so more wins come to me. This is the perfect end to my season, so I can be happy and relaxed for my holidays and pre-season. I’ll keep working to make …

Jannik Sinner closed his 2020 season claiming his first career title Saturday in Sofia, beating Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3).

Playing his first true tour final, the 19-year-old Sinner becomes the youngest champion on tour since 18-year-old Kei Nishikori won the 2008 Delray Beach event.

“It is always special when you win tournaments,” said Sinner afterward. “I felt well this week. It is special. Playing finals like this, 7-6 in the third.

“Is …

An abbreviated 2020 season comes to a close this week at the ATP Finals which will be played in London for a last time.

Because of the rankings freeze, the field is not much different than last year with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal along with former champions Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev returning.

US Open champ Dominic Thiem and Paris winner Daniil Medvedev also are back.

Just two new faces …

One glaring omission from Rafael Nadal’s stellar legendary resume is an ATP Finals title. The 34-year-old has only made the finals twice in nine previous appearances.

“We can find excuses or reasons but, at the end of the day, the numbers are the numbers,” said Nadal. “I think I played less indoors than on the other surfaces, without a doubt.

Nadal has 86 career title, but just two coming indoors at …

Novak Djokovic will try to make history at the ATP Finals as he tries to join Roger Federer as the only 6-time champions of the event.

The Serb, who didn’t make it out of the round-robin last year, has qualified for the ATP Finals for a 13th time and is the big favorite to win for the first time since 2015.

“The ATP Finals is probably the biggest event that we have …

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal lead the ATP Finals which is set to begin Sunday in London. In its 50th edition, the event will be the last one held in the UK after moving to Turin, Italy for 2021.

Djokovic and Nadal were separated into two groups for their round-robin play.

Djokovic will be joined by 2018 champion Alexander Zverev, recent Paris winner Daniil Medvedev and first-time Diego Schwartzman.

Nadal is in the …

The 2020 WTA closes this week with its final stop in Linz, Austria. Due to the pandemic, the WTA lost its entire Asian fall swing, including the year-end finals, along with nearly all of the European stops.

But Linz survived and the tournament attracted a decent field with three players in the Top 30 including Top 3 seeds Aryna Sabalenka, Elise Mertens and Dayana Yastremska.

French Open breakout start Nadia Podoroska is …

The ATP’s regular season wraps up this week in Sofia, Bulgaria where a field of 28 will fight for the last tour-level draw title of 2020.

After a slew of withdrawals, Denis Shapovalov will be the star attraction and the top seed.

The Canadian will be joined by countryman Felix Auger-Aliassime as the Top 2 seeds, marking a first in the ATP Tour era (since 1990).

Alex De Minaur is No. 3, Jan-Lennard …

After a down season, Daniil Medvedev got back in the win column on Sunday in Paris, winning the Indoor Masters event beating Alexander Zverev from a set down 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.

Medvedev becomes the second Russian to win Paris in three years after Karen Khachanov won in 2018.

“It is great. I am really happy,” said Medvedev. “I don’t show this after the match, but I am really happy to win …

The last two US Open finalists will meet Sunday for the final Masters event of 2020 in Paris.

The indoor event will crown a new champion between either Alexander Zverev or Daniil Medvedev, both first-time finalists.

Medvedev earned his first final of 2020 after easing past Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(4).

“When you play against Milos, you are always at risk because one time he breaks you, it is very tough to break him …

For the sixth time, Novak Djokovic will finish a season as the No. 1 ranking. After Rafael Nadal confirmed he would not play in Sofia, Djokovic was assured of the top spot today.

The Serbian, who finishes as World No. 1 for the sixth time in the past 10 years (also 2011-12, ‘14-15 and ‘18), draws level with his childhood hero, American Pete Sampras, who ended six straight years at the …

Following Pablo Carreno Busta’s loss to Rafael Nadal Friday at the Paris Masters, Diego Schwartzman clinched the last and eighth spot in the ATP Finals event in London.

The 28-year-old Schwartzman will make his debut in the year-end event alongside 5-time winner Novak Djokovic, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and fellow first-time Andrey Rublev.

The 28-year-old Schwartzman will be the first Argentine player to compete …

For the second time in the event, Rafael Nadal had to come from a set to beat a countryman at the Paris Masters this week.

Nadal, who had to fight past Feliciano Lopez in his opener, also dropped the first set today to Pablo Carreno Busta before getting into gear late in the second for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

“I have to give him a lot of credit that he did a …