Novak Djokovic qualifies for ATP Tour Finals 2022 even without 'Slam champion' exemption

With a 6-0, 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti in the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday, Novak Djokovic reached his 74th Masters 1000 semifinals. But more importantly, he put to rest the recent debate over his qualification for the Nitto ATP Tour Finals to be played in Turin from November 13-20.

After Britain's Cameron Norrie dubbed the Serb's qualification "unfair" a few days ago, it became a hot topic in the world of tennis, with different opinions coming from experts and fans.

Djokovic was the fifth player to qualify for the year-end championship after winning the Astana Open last month. He benefitted from the ATP's Grand Slam champion provision, which allows entry to a current Major winner placed between No. 8 and No. 20 in the rankings.

However, with his recent quarterfinal win, the 35-year-old has accumulated enough points to finish in the Top-8 by the end of the Paris Masters. This means that he has qualified to play in Turin even without the ATP's exemption rule.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion beat Nick Kyrgios in the finals of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, for which he was awarded no points. It is worth noting that he couldn't participate in two Majors and four Masters 1000 events this season due to his unvaccinated status.

Djokovic will play in the ATP Finals for the 15th time in his career, only behind Roger Federer, Jimmy Connors, and Rafael Nadal. The other seven players to feature in the tournament this year are: Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Andrey Rublev.

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Novak Djokovic to take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Paris Masters SF

Stefanos Tsitsipas (L) and Novak Djokovic

By defeating Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday, Novak Djokovic extended his head-to-head record against the 20-year-old to 3-0. It was also the Serb's 12th straight win on tour. Just two matches away from a record-extending seventh title at the event, the 35-year-old is all set to square off against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the semifinals.

It will be the 11th time that the two players will meet, with the senior leading 8-2 head-to-head. The 24-year-old Greek has lost the last seven matches against the Serb. After beating Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals, Tsitsipas was asked about his strategy for the semifinals, to which he responded stating that he has the right weapons and just needs to move well for a good match.

"I need to show the same consistency. I have weapons that I can use. But in the past, I feel I have used too much spin or power. It’s important that I stay at a medium level and not overdo it. It will be a physical match and I will need to move well," he said.