Novak Djokovic shows he is back in top form with the Italian Open title

The World No. 1 Novak Djokovic won his sixth Rome title after missing most of the season due to his reluctance to get vaccinated for Covid-19, his first trophy since winning in Paris last year. The 35-year old recently won his 1000th career match after beating Casper Rudd in the semifinals. 

After the win, Novak Djokovic said, "I have been building my form the last few weeks. It could not be better timing coming into Roland Garros."

"This year, it was a particular situation. With everything that happened in Australia, it took some time. I found my best shape here. I am going to Paris with a lot of confidence.

Novak Djokovic found his footing instantly and pressured Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas within just a half-hour in the first set. Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled to match Novak Djokovic and got so exasperated that he slammed his racket on his bag, resulting in a mangled frame.

Stefanos Tsitsipas had a much better start to the second, getting a 5-3 lead. However, Novak Djokovic stepped up his game and fired a forehand crosscourt return that narrowed down the lead of his greek opponent to 5-4. Stefanos Tsitsipas tried a drop shot to seal his second set victory, but it landed on the net, followed by Novak Djokovic celebrating with a series of fist pumps as the spectators chanted his name. The 20-time Grand Slam winner produced 24 winners and had 14 unforced errors compared to eight winners and 20 unfocused errors by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Novak Djokovic expresses his fondness for playing in Rome, stating, "This court has always been exceptional. It's given me joy when I need positive sensations. Whenever my form was a bit down, I found energy in this city.