Novak Djokovic Hits New Landmark; Eyes 101st Career Title After Athens Masterclass

Last Updated:November 08, 2025, 16:49 IST

Novak Djokovic reached his 144th career final in Athens, defeating Yannick Hanfmann. The Serb remains unbeaten this season.

Novak Djokovic. (AP Photo)

Novak Djokovic continues to rewrite tennis history.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has reached a final in his 23rd different country, after defeating German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4 in the Hellenic Championship semifinals in Athens on Friday.

The 38-year-old Serb not only broke a four-match semifinal losing streak, but also booked his 144th career final, his 95th on hard courts, and his third of the 2025 season after Miami and Geneva.

“I think it was the best tennis I’ve played this tournament," said Djokovic. “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."

With the victory, Djokovic also maintained his flawless record this season — now 30-0 in matches where he’s won the opening set — and remains on track for his 101st career title.

Despite the intense schedule, the Belgrade native hinted that part of his post-match recovery would take place courtside at a different sport.

“The match time wasn’t too long," Djokovic smiled. “I have to do recoveries in the next couple of hours and probably won’t make it to the beginning of the game, but I’ll try to make it."

He was referring to the EuroLeague basketball clash between Olympiakos Piraeus and his hometown team Partizan Belgrade, set to tip off Friday night.

Djokovic, who now resides in Greece, will face either Lorenzo Musetti in Saturday’s final.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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