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Former world number one Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud for a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title.<\/span><\/p>\n The 35-year-old Serbian overcame his Norwegian opponent 7-5 6-3 in Turin on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Victory for Djokovic in the season-ending event caps a year in which he was forced to miss two majors because of his reluctance to take a Covid-19 vaccination.<\/span><\/p>\n He last won an ATP Finals title in 2015 and has matched Roger Federer’s mark.<\/span><\/p>\n Djokovic took the biggest pay cheque in tennis, worth $4,740,300 (\u00a33.985m), for going through the tournament unbeaten.<\/span><\/p>\n Having sealed the success with one of nine aces in the match, he said the seven-year wait for the title made the triumph “even sweeter”.<\/span><\/p>\n “It feels deeply satisfying and, at the same time, a huge relief because of the circumstances that I have been through this year, situations earlier this year, of course, with Australia,” added Djokovic.<\/span><\/p>\n “That had an effect obviously on my start of the year. For the first several months, I was trying to find that balance game-wise but also mentally in order to be able to come back to the court and find that tennis level that I need.<\/span><\/p>\n “I don’t know what the future holds but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies.”<\/span><\/p>\n Ruud, 23, made two poor errors to hand the 21-time major winner the break in the first set.<\/span><\/p>\n Having won the opener, Djokovic then took control and broke his opponent’s serve in the fourth game of the second set.<\/span><\/p>\n Ruud continued to battle and forced the veteran into a 36-shot penultimate rally, but Djokovic was stronger and closed out the match with a powerful ace.<\/span><\/p>\n It marked another final defeat for the Norwegian who was runner-up at both the French Open and US Open.<\/span><\/p>\n But Ruud said: “Overall, if you gave me the offer to end the year at number three, play the finals that I’ve played, on 1st January this year, I would probably sign the contract right away. No doubt about it.”<\/span><\/p>\n It was also a successful day for Britain as Joe Salisbury won the men’s doubles event with American partner Rajeev Ram.<\/span><\/p>\n