ATP Tel Aviv – Novak Djokovic in the final after his victory over Roman Safiullin (6-1, 7-6)

One more, the 127th. Serbian Novak Djokovic (7th in the world) qualified for the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Tel Aviv on Saturday, his fourth of the season, beating in two sets, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), the Russian Roman Safiullin (104th), in one hour and 35 minutes. The man with 21 Grand Slam titles will therefore play, on hard and indoors, the 127th final of his professional career.

He has already won 88, or about two out of three. His opponent in the final will be the Croatian Marin Cilic or the surprising Frenchman Constant Lestienne, 30, 68th in the world.

A little feverish to conclude

Djokovic wandered in the first set (6-1), never conceding a break point, then served for the match at 5-4 in the second, but Safiullin, armed with a big serve, managed to prolong the suspense until a decisive game in which he flinched: an unforced error on an easy forehand, followed by a double fault, gave a decisive advantage of 4-1 to “Nole”.

After his lost final in Belgrade in April, his victory in Rome in May, then his new title at Wimbledon in July, Djokovic, 35, had to give up American tournaments, including the US Open, for lack of being vaccinated against Covid-19 (which had already made him unable to defend his chances in Australia).

He had not played an official match until the Laver Cup by teams, between Europe and the rest of the world, last week in London.