Novak Djokovic inscribed his name in the history books once again after his latest win took him to the top three for the most match wins on the ATP Tour in the Open Era.
The two-time Cincinnati Masters champion held off an inspired Alexander Zverev in two tight sets to book his spot in Sunday's final. It was a landmark win for Djokovic who is in the winner's column for a 1,068th time in ATP history.
Djokovic, therefore, tied his great rival Rafael Nadal and eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl in third place in that list. Djokovic will have the chance to break the three-man tie if he manages to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final to sit alone in 3rd spot.
The only two men on top of the list in terms of match wins are American great Jimmy Connors who is clear in first place with 1,274 wins and Swiss legend Roger Federer who owns 1,251 wins. Djokovic is the only active member in the top three list still playing, with Nadal currently out of competition due to injury and the rest now retired.
And the Serb intends to stick around for a few more years and could go against his parents' wishes who would love nothing more than to see their son leave the stage for a new upstart. Let's see if Djokovic will get close or even surpass the two men on the leaderboard.
Djokovic has downsized his schedule substantially in the last few years. This season, he has played just nine tournaments including this week's Cincinnati Masters with almost two-thirds of the season gone. He has prioritized rest and spending more time with his family.
But his experience and veteran know-how continue to give him an edge in matches. His aura and athleticism have not diminished in the slightest even at 36. Djokovic has compiled a 37-5 record for the season, translating to an 86% winning record - the second-highest on the ATP this season.
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