Novak Djokovic 'very proud' to win record-extending seventh title at Rolex Paris Masters

At some point, Novak Djokovic’s right ear is going to start to hurt, isn’t it?

We know the world’s best tennis player loves to reach up and bend it when he wants some love from the crowd. But he took it to a new level over the past week at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Time and again, Djokovic found himself trailing and seemingly on the verge of defeat. Time and again, her was irritated by the Paris crowd—for booing him, for cheering his opponent, for making distracting noises, for taking flash photos. Time and again, Djokovic pulled himself back from the brink, and bent his ear as if to ask the fans, “How do you like me now?” That is, when he wasn’t holding his arms out wide and asking for “more, more, more” from them.

Whether it was a product of love or hate, inspiration or defiance, or a combination of all of them, the energy in the building worked for Djokovic the way it has worked for him so many times before.

With his 6-4, 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday, the 36-year-old secured a record seventh title in Bercy, a record 40th Masters 1000 title, and a 97th career title. He also put himself nearly 1490 points ahead of Carlos Alcaraz in the race for the year-end No. 1 ranking, with one tournament to go.

As remarkable as those numbers are, this title run won’t be one that the tennis-history books will feature, or even mention. It didn’t involve an epic win over one of his great rivals, and it didn’t add to the only number that’s going to matter to the vast majority of people: his Grand Slam total. Djokovic has already picked up three of those this year. As far as being ranked No. 1 goes, he’s been there and done that for far more weeks than anyone else.

Yet if you wanted to put one week of Djokovic’s career into a time capsule, to give future fans an idea of what he was about, this wouldn’t be a bad one to bottle up. He hadn’t played since winning a Davis Cup match in September. He was sick with a stomach bug to start the week. With the Slams over, he didn’t really have any long-term motivation to go all out. And in three straight matches, against three players who are at least nine years his junior, Djokovic looked to be on the verge of defeat

In his second match, against Tallon Griekspoor, he lost the first set and struggled deep into the second. In his third match, against Holger Rune, he looked gassed and lost a rare tiebreaker, but hung tough against the 20-year-old in the third. In the semifinals, he was outplayed early by Andrey Rublev, and appeared to finally feel the weight of his earlier efforts. But he survived a second-set tiebreak, and a close third set. In each match, Djokovic and the fans took turns winding each other up, before he rode that energy to victory.

“The relationship with the crowd was special this week, we can say that,” a smiling Djokovic told the audience, in French, during the trophy ceremony. “Thank you because with this energy I am here.”

Djokovic said this title was memorable because of the “challenging circumstances,” and the fact that he “was on the brink of losing three matches in a row.”

“I’m very proud of this one considering what I’ve been through,” he said.

It was a week to appreciate the things Djokovic has always done so well, and which can get taken for granted. His still-nonpareil ground strokes, which he simply misses less often, when it matters, than his opponents. His ability to find a serve when he needs it. His excellence in tiebreakers; he won two that kept him alive. His heavy crosscourt forehand, which he doesn’t hit for highlight-reel winners, but which forces errors from his opponents. His knowledge of how to win points, and how to strike the right balance between aggression and margin.

There was also an element of his game and his arsenal that struck me more than it had before: What he gets from his coaching team, particularly his relatively new second-in-command Carlos Gomez-Herrera of Spain.

A former player and friend of Djokovic’s brother Marko, the 33-year-old Gomez-Herrera plays the role of in-match motivator, constantly chattering at Djokovic and doing what he can to keep him focused and fired up. With first-in-command Goran Ivanisevic away this week, Gomez-Herrera was the man in Djokovic’s ear in Paris. Whenever Novak was frustrated or his belief seemed to slip, the Spaniard was there to spur him on and bring him back to the task at hand. And after each victory, he was there to give him kudos. At 36, with his legacy already secure, that kind of outside motivation and accountability is surely a help to the Serb.

“I want you to go for the match,” Gomez-Herrera said after Djokovic held for 5-3 in the second set on Sunday. Djokovic complied by putting some extra heat on his shots, and it worked. While he made one error, he hit two backhand winners and avoided having to serve for the match. Finally, when it was all over and the old warrior’s job was done, Djokovic showed his brotherly side by giving the tearful Dimitrov a hug. At the same time, Gomez-Herrera walked over to congratulate Dimitrov’s family and team on their run to the final.

Knowing when to go for it and when to play if safe is one thing. Actually doing it, on the fly, to win a Masters 1000 title, is another. It’s one more thing than made this such a consummately Djokovician week of tennis.

His ear deserves a rest.