Novak Djokovic has rediscovered his winning rhythm, advancing to the final of the Hellenic Championship in Athens with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 victory over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann on Friday. The 38-year-old Serbian star ended his streak of four consecutive semi-final losses, moving a step closer to his 101st career ATP title.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion last appeared in a final at the Geneva Open in May, where he defeated Hubert Hurkacz to clinch the title. With this latest achievement, Djokovic remains firmly among the sport’s all-time greats. He is now only the third player in ATP history to reach 100 or more career titles, trailing only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Friday’s semi-final began with Hanfmann pushing Djokovic early, securing a service break and showing aggressive intent from the baseline. But the Serbian quickly found his rhythm, breaking back immediately and seizing control of the contest. Displaying trademark precision on serve and exceptional movement on the indoor hard court, Djokovic wrapped up the victory in just 79 minutes.
“I think it was the best tennis I’ve played this tournament. It came at the right time. Hanfmann poses a great threat because he serves big, has a big game, so I needed to really stay focused. I was a break down in the second, but I held my composure. I’m very excited for the final,” Djokovic said after the match.
Djokovic to face either Musetti or Korda in final
The win continues a strong week for the Serbian, who also recorded a 7-6(1), 6-4 quarter-final victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges, marking his 200th indoor-court win and the 199th tour-level semi-final of his career.
In the final, Djokovic will face either Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti or American Sebastian Korda, both of whom have been in fine form. The result will give Djokovic further momentum ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, where he has been drawn in the same group as Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur.
