ATP: Novak Djokovic plays in Queen´s in final number 99

Novak Djokovic is the second finalist in the ATP World Tour 500 tournament at London’s Queen´s Club. The Serb defeated Jeremy Chardy from France in two sets.

Rome 2017 – that was the last final Novak Djokovic had reached on the ATP tour before Saturday. And the memories of the former number one of this final are not the best: Alexander Zverev mercilessly served Djokovic from Foro Italico, took his first Masters 1000 title ever.

London’s Queen´s Club traditionally play one category lower, but Novak Djokovic have finally reached the last stage of a tournament with a 7:6 (5) and 6:4 against Jeremy Chardy. After a solid performance against a good grass player: last week in s´Hertogenbosch Chardy was on the verge of winning the title and finally lost to his compatriot Richard Gasquet.

Djokovic is at the traditional London preparation tournament for the first time since 2010, on Sunday he will have to deal with Marin Cilic. The Croatian did not harm Nick Kyrgios, is in the final of the ATP World Tour 500 tournament as last year. At that time Cilic was defeated by Feliciano Lopez.

For Djokovic, however, the 99th final of his career is imminent, of the previous ones the Serb has won 68. It’s a nice coincidence that Roger Federer is also playing for title number 99 in Halle/Westphalia.

Novak Djokovic did not start the year well after his long injury break, losing six of his first twelve matches. Since then, however, the family father’s record has been 12-2 victories, even though his defeat against Marco Cecchinato in the quarter-finals of the French Open was a bitter setback for Djokovic.

Djokovic goes to court against Cilic with an outstanding record: the Croatian only won one of the 15 matches so far, but this was also the youngest, in Paris-Bercy in 2016. Twice the opponents faced each other on grass, on both occasions in Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015 Djokovic was the winner.

Here is the single tableau in London’s Queen´s Club