If there was ever a master of coming back from the brink in the world of tennis, it was Novak Djokovic. The scary thing for the new generation of men’s tennis players is that despite Djokovic being 36 years old, he continues to bounce back against all odds. The Serbinator’s latest opponent, the Italian sensation Jannik Sinner, would tell you exactly that based on his experience at the Nitto ATP Finals. Even though Sinner ended up winning what turned out to be a nail-biting contest, he would have hoped to win more comfortably, and he probably would have, had he not been up against Djokovic.

Former World No. 1 Jim Courier, who was commentating on the match, perfectly summed up Djokovic’s brilliance with his words at one point. And very few can question the American icon for saying what he said, despite it stunningly misfiring by the end of one of this year’s most epic battles.

Novak Djokovic claws his way back to leave Jannik Sinner stunned

Djokovic and Sinner clashed in a group stage match of epic proportions in Turin. The Italian crowd, unsurprisingly, was firmly backing Sinner, and Djokovic was quite clearly feeling the effects. When Sinner clinched the first set, it seemed that the crowd’s backing, coupled with Sinner’s exceptional shot-making, would result in the Italian registering an upset over Djokovic. However, the Serbinator had other plans.

In the second set, Djokovic matched Sinner in every department, and it ended with the Serbian winning after a tiebreak. Sinner came back roaring again in the third set, and when he broke Djokovic to establish a 4-2 lead, it seemed like the Italian would run away with the match. But as ever, Djokovic proved his mettle over the next couple of games, as Sinner made some uncharacteristic errors. All of a sudden, things were all square at 4-4.

This prompted Courier, who was commentating on the match, to serve an important reminder to everyone watching the match. The American icon said, “This thing’s coming down to the wire.. and when you come at the king, you best not miss.” Djokovic’s remarkable comeback to even things up set the stage for yet another tiebreak. This time though, Sinner kept his cool, and played some flawless tennis to edge past Djokovic.

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What’s next for Djokovic?

The loss to Sinner in Turin was the first one for Djokovic to deal with since the Wimbledon final, which he lost to Carlos Alcaraz. It would have definitely been a bitter pill to swallow for Djokovic, who is not used to losing at all. However, dwelling on losses is something Djokovic is not known for, and you can expect him to be all geared up for his next match.

Djokovic is set to finish the group stage action at the Nitto ATP Finals against Hubert Hurkacz, who replaced Stefanos Tsitsipas after the latter retired during his match against Holger Rune due to injury. What do you think? Will Djokovic falter again against Hurkacz, or will he be back to his best? Let us know in the comments below.

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