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Novak Djokovic Clinches Year-End No. 1 Ranking at ATP Finals 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
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Novak Djokovic Clinches Year-End No. 1 Ranking at ATP Finals 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)

Top-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic opened group play with a 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-3 victory over No. 8 seed Holger Rune of Denmark at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, on Sunday to clinch the year-end No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings.

Djokovic lands at No. 1 at year's end for the eighth time, an ATP record. At 36, he is also the oldest player to finish in the top spot.

"Becoming year-end No. 1 is an incredible accomplishment. To achieve it eight times is absolutely extraordinary," ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said. "Novak continues to set the standard in tennis, and his passion and drive make him a true champion. There's no doubt that more greatness and records lie ahead in his journey."

With the victory, Djokovic improved to 1-0 in the Green Group.

The top eight players in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings were divided into two groups of four for the round-robin group stage. Italian Jannik Sinner, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic and Rune are in the Green Group, while Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev of Germany and Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev make up the Red Group.

The winners of each group will face the runners-up of the other group in the semifinals, with the third- and fourth-place finishers from each group getting eliminated.

Rune logged 18 aces and 48 winners on Sunday, but that still wasn't enough to get the best of Djokovic, who never trailed in the decisive third set.

"It took everything," Djokovic said. "I saw in the first game, when he fired shots from the baseline in the first three or four points, I knew that it was going to be a tough life for me. If I wanted to win this match, I was going to have to work really hard."

In Sunday's other match in the Green Group, fourth-seeded Sinner beat No. 6 Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4.

Sinner won 32 of 36 first-service points and racked up 21 winners against five unforced errors to cruise to the win. Tsitsipas saved three of five break points and had 16 winners.

"I was excited to step on court and opening the Finals is really, really special," Sinner said. "I knew it was going to be very tough, but I think I handled the situation well. I tried to stay aggressive and I am very happy with the performance."

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Osaka Inspired by Agassi’s Comeback as She Embraces Clay Court Grind 

Japan's Naomi Osaka serves against Italy's Sara Errani during the 2th round of the WTA Master 1000 Internazionali d'Italia tournament at Foro Italico in Rome, Wednesday May 7, 2025 (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Japan's Naomi Osaka serves against Italy's Sara Errani during the 2th round of the WTA Master 1000 Internazionali d'Italia tournament at Foro Italico in Rome, Wednesday May 7, 2025 (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
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Osaka Inspired by Agassi’s Comeback as She Embraces Clay Court Grind 

Japan's Naomi Osaka serves against Italy's Sara Errani during the 2th round of the WTA Master 1000 Internazionali d'Italia tournament at Foro Italico in Rome, Wednesday May 7, 2025 (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Japan's Naomi Osaka serves against Italy's Sara Errani during the 2th round of the WTA Master 1000 Internazionali d'Italia tournament at Foro Italico in Rome, Wednesday May 7, 2025 (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Four times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka said this year's clay court swing feels different as she enters it with momentum, having picked up wins and confidence in the recent weeks.

Osaka beat Slovenia's Kaja Juvan 6-1 7-5 last week in the final of the L'Open 35 de Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 tournament, to win her first clay-court title at any level. It was also her first WTA title since becoming a mother in July 2023.

"I wanted to rack up experience on clay. I didn't really have too much of an ego playing that tournament," Osaka told reporters after defeating wild card Sara Errani 6-2 6-3 in the first round of the Italian Open on Wednesday.

"I'm okay playing on Court 16 if I have to anyways. The reason I came back wasn't to play on center courts all the time, it's because I really enjoy the game."

Osaka said her decision to drop down to play in Saint-Malo was inspired by American great Andre Agassi, who rebuilt his career in the late 1990s by competing on the ATP Challenger Tour.

"I remember reading (Agassi's) book. There was a moment where... he was saying he was flipping his own scoreboards. Someone came and yelled, 'Image is everything!' I would say that section of the book crossed my mind more," she said.

The former world number one has often struggled on clay, having never gone past the third round at the French Open, where she is set to feature in the main draw later this month. Osaka plays ninth seed Paula Badosa in the Italian Open on Thursday.

"I feel like clay is very strength-reliant," Osaka said.

"It's something that I prioritized this year and I think it's working. I'm going to keep pushing forward that way. I'll let you know what happens in Roland Garros."