Novak Djokovic Battles Past Musetti to Claim 101st Career Title in Athens

Novak Djokovic has portrayed his great resilience and durability once again as he was able to rescue himself after being one set down to beat Italy's Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Athens on Saturday.

The electrifying match that took approximately three hours was another in the list of numerous records of Djokovic against the greatest competitors in the sport.

Serbian, 38 years old, and with this victory, the 38-year-old has become part of a select few men to have reached 100 titles, alongside Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors.

Federer has won 103 titles, and Connors has the record of 109 titles.

The most recent win of Djokovic serves as a further contribution to his history of winning in tennis, especially since the tennis player is still in the process of winning at a very old age, when many players have since retired.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion was the oldest winner in the ATP tournament since a British legend Ken Rosewall, who won a title in Hong Kong when he was 43 years old, way back in 1977.

The triumph at Athens was also a second win in 2025 of the year by Djokovic, who had won the Geneva Open in May.

Djokovic has been able to applaud his young opponent because of his brilliant performance.

It was a fantastic battle, three hours of pounding tennis, both physically and mentally, said Djokovic after the battle.

The loss was a sweet consolation to Musetti.

The 23-year-old Italian had been on great form all through the week, including saving a match point in his semi-final victory over Sebastian Korda.

However, it was the defeat that prolonged his frustrating streak in finals - he is now been beaten in his final six championship matches. The only two ATP titles he has is 2022, which he was able to win in Hamburg and Naples.

Musetti admired Djokovic when addressing him in the ceremony to present him with the trophy.

What you have done to tennis is hard to say, he said. You, still at your age, can prove to all of us that you can beat us just like you did today. I get my lesson with you every time I share the court, then thank you.

It was an added burden to the performance of Musetti in Athens since he was competing to make it to the ATP Finals in Turin.

Winning would have guaranteed him the eighth and the last position in the renowned end-of-season tournament.

His defeat, however, gave that position first to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Djokovic withdrew later in an unexpected twist, which put Musetti in a position to take over in Turin after all.

The fact that Djokovic chose not to visit the Finals this year, the second week in a row, is a result of speculation.

Although he comfortably made it through to the qualification phase, the world number one chose to call off his season early, citing the need to rest and recuperate before the year 2026.

The tournament in Athens, particularly chaired by the younger brother of Djokovic, Djordje, was to be held in the very Serbian city of Belgrade as it will be in 2024.

Nevertheless, in August, the ATP voted to transfer the event to Athens without mentioning any particular reasons why the event had to be moved. The change is what caused the speculation of the tension between Djokovic and the Serbian authorities.

Djokovic has, over the past few months, made an implicit effort to separate himself from the ruling elite in Serbia.

The tennis legend has publicly voiced in favor of the students who have been fighting against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic for more than a year without any political intervention.

The officials in Belgrade were also reported to be not pleased with his stance, hence the targeting of the pro-government tabloids.