MALAGA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 25: Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning match point during the ... [+]
Novak Djokovic’s brilliant 2023 campaign ended with back-to-back losses in singles and doubles in the Davis Cup — and he blamed himself for Serbia’s semifinal defeat to Italy in Malaga, Spain.
“I take responsibility for the defeat,” Djokovic told reporters. “Three wasted match points. It's my fault.”
With Jannik Sinner serving at 4-5, 0-40 in the third set on Saturday, the 36-year-old Serb had triple match point but couldn’t convert. Instead, Sinner beat Djokovic for the second time in three tries this month, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. Sinner had beaten Djokovic in three sets in Group Play at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy before getting swept in straights in the championship last Sunday.
Sinner's comeback victory kept Italy alive in the semifinal after Miomir Kecmanovic opened the day's play with a 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 victory against Lorenzo Musetti.
In the decisive doubles match that ensued, Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego defeated Djokovic and Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-4, sending Italy into its first Davis Cup final since 1998 against Australia.
“It was a roller coaster," Sinner said of his two-hour, 35-minute singles victory against the World No. 1. “I was starting off really well. Second set he played much better than me. Third set I tried to serve really well, and also on match points down I served well.
“Happy to still be in the competition. We were one point away from being out."
Djokovic ends his year with three of the four Grand Slams, his record 7th ATP Finals title and his eighth year-end No. 1. He wanted to cap his magnificent year off by helping Serbia win its first Davis Cup title since 2010.
Instead he will look forward to 2024 when he said he believes he can win all four major singles titles — and Olympic gold.
