Katie Boulter claimed her second win of the weekend against Sweden to put Great Britain in the ascendancy in their Billie Jean King Cup tie at London’s Copper Box.

The British number one confidently drew the hosts level on Saturday after Jodie Burrage’s shock defeat and then battled to a 6-1 7-6 (5) victory over Kajsa Rinaldo Persson in Sunday’s opening rubber.

Persson had won 12 of 13 games after trailing debutante Burrage 4-0 and really troubled Boulter in the second set, which she served for at 5-3.

But Boulter saved four set points and took her first match point in the tie-break to put Britain 2-1 ahead and within one win of claiming overall victory and maintaining their place at the elite level of the competition.

Boulter picked up where she had left off in a 6-2 6-1 win over Caijsa Hennemann by breezing through the first set but Persson, who played two tournaments in Britain to prepare for the tie, dug in well at the start of the second, with the pair swapping immediate breaks.

The Swede was again playing well above her lowly ranking of 372 and it appeared a deciding set was looming when Boulter’s timing went awry and Persson broke to lead 5-3.

She moved into a 40-0 lead trying to serve it out but Boulter benefited from a lucky net cord and then a nervy double fault from her opponent, going on to save a fourth set point before breaking back.

There was little to choose between them in the tie-break but Boulter played two strong points on her own serve from 4-5 and roared in celebration when Persson put a final shot wide.

Katie Boulter backed “tough cookie” Jodie Burrage to bounce back from her nightmare Billie Jean King Cup debut.

Burrage has established herself as British number two this season and her first call-up for her country was long awaited but she collapsed under the weight of the occasion, losing 12 of the last 13 games against Sweden’s Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, who is ranked nearly 300 places lower than her.

The 6-4 6-1 scoreline was all the more disappointing given Burrage won the opening four games, and it put Britain in a difficult spot in a tie for which they are overwhelming favourites.

They ended the first day at London’s Copper Box level at 1-1 thanks to Boulter, who produced another convincing display in the competition, beating Caijsa Hennemann 6-2 6-1.

Boulter said of her good friend’s disappointment: “It’s part of tennis. There’s always going to be matches that we win and some that we lose and I think how you pick yourself up is what’s going to define you.

“She’s a tough cookie, I can assure you, she’s been through a lot of surgeries, she’s been through a lot of tough moments and she knows how to pick herself up.

“The girl played very, very well and we’ve got a battle going into tomorrow. They’re going to have a swing, they’ve got no pressure at all. We’re going to fight our little hearts out for it.”

Rankings often are not a great indicator of success in this competition and Burrage is far from the first player to fail to handle the occasion, but even by those standards this was some collapse.

She made 23 unforced errors in the first set alone, often missing by feet rather than inches as Persson reeled off eight games in a row.

Burrage fought back tears as she said: “I’m very proud to represent my country, I’m very disappointed that I didn’t get everyone a win today. That is going to stick with me for a while.

“It’s tough to take. I have not felt like this, and even the nerves before, ever, even stepping out onto Centre Court doesn’t compare to this.

“It’s so different when you’re playing for a team. That type of pressure I’ve never really understood before, and I don’t think you ever do until you do it. That’s why it hurts even more because I’m hurting for other people.”

Whether Burrage gets a chance to make amends on Sunday must be highly questionable, with captain Anne Keothavong also able to call upon the more experienced Harriet Dart or Heather Watson.

“Jodie’s earned the right to go out there,” said Keothavong. “She’s had a fantastic year. It’s going to be a tough one for her to take but she’s got to find a way to bounce back if she’s going to keep putting herself in positions for selection.

“As a former player, I feel for her. That court can feel really small. For that to happen in front of a home crowd, it’s a tough one for her to take, but she will bounce back and she will learn from this.”

Britain must win two of the three rubbers on Sunday to secure victory and maintain their position at the elite level of the competition.

Swedish captain Johanna Larsson, who is without her top two players because of injury, was quick to emphasise that all the pressure is on Britain.

“I would expect her to say that, and she’s right,” said Keothavong. “We’ve got some work to do tomorrow. Tonight we have to keep the positivity high and remember why we’re all here.”

Jack Draper set his sights on qualifying for the ATP Finals next season after narrowly failing to pick up a first tour title at the Sofia Open.

The 21-year-old was the youngest British player to reach an ATP Tour decider since Andy Murray in 2009 but he was unable to find a way past wily French veteran Adrian Mannarino.

Mannarino, 35, has been in excellent form and one break in the deciding set proved enough for him to secure a 7-6 (6) 2-6 6-3 victory in the Bulgarian capital.

But this week has been another reminder that, if fit, Draper can be a force at the top of the game and he believes he could be among the leading eight players in the world in 2024.

Citing the swift rise of last year’s Sofia runner-up Holger Rune, he told reporters in Bulgaria: “Hopefully that’s the same for me. Obviously I’m disappointed I lost in the final but I’ll keep working and hopefully I do well next year and can be in Turin.”

Draper dropped serve in the opening game but hit back straight away and there was nothing to choose between the pair until the first point against serve at 6-6 in the tie-break.

The powerful Englishman found the perfect response with a break at the start of the second set and looked to be in the ascendancy going into the third.

But Mannarino began to apply some consistent pressure to his serve and a break for 4-2 proved the crucial moment, with Draper unable to convert two chances in the final game.

It has nevertheless been an excellent week for the young Londoner, who was on a nine-match winning streak after lifting a title on the second tier Challenger Tour last week in Bergamo.

“I think there wasn’t much to it to be honest,” said Draper. “It was a really tight first set. Adrian’s obviously played a lot of matches this year. He’s having a great season. And fair play to him. I guess sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and today wasn’t my day.”

Draper’s rapid progress has stalled this season because of injury, notably a shoulder problem that caused him to miss Wimbledon, but he believes he used the time away wisely.

“I feel so motivated to want to work so hard every match for every point and compete well,” he said. “And I think with the time I’ve missed off the court, that really helps me coming on to the court, because I haven’t been able to have the opportunity to play as many events.

“I just had a long hard look at myself. I felt like there wasn’t much that I’d done wrong. Watching lots of the tennis was really difficult and seeing my ranking drop.

“But I went straight back to it, worked really hard on my physical state and worked hard mentally to get myself back in a position that, when I was fit, I was able to perform at the highest level again and be better than I was. I’m just proud of the way I’ve come back after such a tough year.”

Draper is next set to be in action in Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga later this month, where it would be a big surprise if he was not given the nod as the second singles player.

Katie Boulter pulled Great Britain level in their Billie Jean King Cup play-off against Sweden after a nervous Jodie Burrage suffered a nightmare debut.

The 24-year-old appeared to have settled well when she opened up a 4-0 lead on Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, ranked nearly 300 places lower, in the first match at London’s Copper Box but she then lost eight games in a row and fell to a 6-4 6-1 defeat.

Britain were overwhelming favourites going into the tie to win it and stay at the elite level of the competition, with Sweden missing their two highest-ranked players through injury.

And they should yet find a way through after Boulter again proved a steady pair of hands, defeating 532nd-ranked Caijsa Hennemann 6-2 6-1 to leave the tie level at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s concluding day, where two more wins are needed to secure overall victory.

Whether Burrage gets another chance must be highly questionable, with captain Anne Keothavong also able to call upon the more experienced Harriet Dart or Heather Watson.

Rankings often are not a great indicator of success in this competition and Burrage is far from the first player to fail to handle the occasion, but even by those standards this was some collapse.

She made 23 unforced errors in the first set alone, often missing by feet rather than inches as Persson’s comeback gathered pace, and lost 12 of the last 13 games.

The occasion has been a long time in coming for Burrage, who was unhappy to be overlooked for the last two teams, and she fought back tears as she said: “This event is nothing like (anything else) in tennis.

“I’m very proud to represent my country, I’m very disappointed that I didn’t get everyone a win today. That is going to stick with me for a while.

“It’s tough to take. I have not felt like this, and even the nerves before, ever, even stepping out onto Centre Court doesn’t compare to this.

“It’s so different when you’re playing for a team. That type of pressure I’ve never really understood before, and I don’t think you ever do until you do it. That’s why it hurts even more because I’m hurting for other people.”

Boulter spoke about a full-circle moment on Friday after finally making it back into the top 100 this season, four years after the back injury she suffered in leading Britain to victory over Kazakhstan at the same venue, which ruled her out for more than six months.

There have never been any concerns about the 27-year-old’s ability to produce on the big stage and although, like Persson, Hennemann played well above her ranking, Boulter was able to overpower her from the back of the court.

The world number 58 opened up early leads in both sets and saved all five break points she faced.

Jack Draper missed out on a first ATP Tour title as he was edged out by Adrian Mannarino in the final of the Sofia Open.

The 21-year-old was the youngest British player to reach an ATP Tour decider since Andy Murray in 2009 but he was unable to find a way past the wily French veteran.

Mannarino, 35, has been in excellent form and one break in the deciding set proved enough for him to secure a 7-6 (6) 2-6 6-3 victory in the Bulgarian capital.

Draper dropped serve in the opening game but hit back straight away and there was nothing to choose between them until the first point against serve at 6-6 in the tie-break.

The powerful Englishman found the perfect response with a break at the start of the second set and looked to be in the ascendancy going into the third.

But Mannarino began to apply some consistent pressure to his serve and a break for 4-2 proved the crucial moment, with Draper unable to convert two chances in the final game.

It has nevertheless been an excellent week for the young Londoner, who was on a nine-match winning streak after lifting a title on the second tier Challenger Tour last week in Bergamo.

Draper is next set to be in action in Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga later this month, where it would be a big surprise if he was not given the nod as second singles player.

Jodie Burrage suffered a nightmare Billie Jean King Cup debut as hot favourites Great Britain fell behind against Sweden at London’s Copper Box.

The visitors were without their top two players through injury, leaving 372nd-ranked Kajsa Rinaldo Persson as their number one, but she overcame a rankings gap of nearly 300 places to defeat Burrage 6-4 6-1 in the opening rubber of the play-off tie.

Burrage had led 4-0 in the first set but from there completely collapsed, losing eight games in a row and 12 of the next 13 as Sweden took a 1-0 lead.

Burrage was unhappy to miss out on selection for the last two teams and had more than justified her debut with a strong season, breaking into the top 100 for the first time and establishing herself as the clear British number two behind Katie Boulter.

She could not have asked for a better start, saving break points in the opening game and then breaking serve twice in a row.

But Burrage’s confidence proved fragile and the occasion began to overwhelm her as Persson worked her way calmly back into the set.

Routine shots from the 24-year-old were flying yards long and her unforced error count hit 23 as a sixth game in a row went the way of Persson.

The capacity crowd of 5,500 tried to lift her in the second set and she finally stopped the run of games against her to make it 1-2, but she could not mount a comeback, with Persson now playing well above her lowly ranking.

Maia Lumsden is relishing her “unbelievable” Billie Jean King Cup call-up 18 months after recovering from long Covid.

The 25-year-old Scot was bed-bound for several months after an initially mild bout of coronavirus in October 2020 turned into something much more debilitating.

She feared her career could be over but was finally able to make a tentative return to the court last spring and happily that turned into a full-time comeback.

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Earlier this week, she was rewarded for an excellent season in doubles, including a run to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, with a first call-up for Great Britain for this weekend’s play-off against Sweden in London.

“During that period, I didn’t think I would get back to playing for a while so to now be in the GB team’s obviously unbelievable,” Lumsden told the PA news agency.

“I feel like it hasn’t really fully sunk in, the last four weeks I’ve played four tournaments in a row, so I feel like it’s come around pretty quick.

“It’s a huge moment for me. It’s an amazing feeling to get selected for GB for the first time and get to be in this team with all the other girls is really cool. A lot of them are really experienced and have played a lot of ties so it’s great to be around everyone.

“The first time I saw professional tennis was the Davis Cup ties at Braehead (in Glasgow) so I’ve always loved team competitions and it’s been a goal to get in a team like this because that was what inspired me when I was younger.”

With Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart and Heather Watson also in the team, Lumsden is unlikely to feature in a match, but it will still be a very proud moment for her family in the stands at the Copper Box.

“They’re going to come down to watch the tie,” she said. “I think everyone’s very happy, everyone close to me that saw those tough moments. It feels like a great turnaround.

“When things are tough at tournaments, I try to remember that they were a lot tougher before.”

Lumsden was one of Britain’s most promising juniors and had hoped for a top career in singles but, with her doubles ranking now at 74, making her Britain’s number one, her focus has switched.

The less physically demanding form of the sport has also proved a better fit, with Lumsden still wary of over-extending herself.

“When I was coming back, I was picking up small injuries, I guess because I was out for such a long period of time,” she said.

“Doubles definitely suits that a lot more. It’s easier physically. I can manage the loads more. Sometimes I still have a little bit more fatigue than I think’s normal. I am still careful with my training, I don’t push it too much.

“That was one of my goals for this year…just to try to do everything I can to stay healthy, to get a full season.”

Lumsden has formed a very promising partnership with fellow British player Naiktha Bains, and the pair will look to build on their progress in 2024.

Their run at Wimbledon made them the first all-British duo to reach the last eight of the women’s doubles for 40 years and Lumsden said: “It’s been really exciting.

“Having that breakthrough at Wimbledon was great, just allowing us to play in those bigger WTA tournaments. That changed the rest of the year. It’s been great to experience all these new things.”

Jack Draper defeated Jan-Lennard Struff at the Sofia Open to become the youngest Briton to reach an ATP Tour final since Andy Murray 14 years ago.

The 21-year-old is really hitting his stride at the end of an injury-plagued season and is chasing a second successive title having picked up the trophy at the second-tier Challenger event in Bergamo last week.

After knocking out top seed Lorenzo Musetti in the second round in Sofia, Draper did the same to third seed Struff in the last four, winning 6-3 6-4, and is yet to drop a set.

Murray was already a grand slam finalist when he made the Miami Open showpiece in 2009, but this is a landmark moment for his young compatriot, who had narrowly lost his previous two tour semi-finals.

“Obviously I am very proud,” said Draper. “Andy is an amazing player. I hope one day I can do what he’s done in the sport but it’s a long way to go and I’ll keep trying.”

Of his performance, he said: “I didn’t serve as well today but the opponent was putting a lot of pressure on my serve. I think I’ve got to just try and keep the rhythm. It was tough out here with some tense moments. It was a semi-final to get into my first final so I was nervous, but I came through it well.”

Katie Boulter feels she has come “full circle” as she prepares to lead Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team in this weekend’s play-off against Sweden at the Copper Box.

It was at the same venue four and a half years ago that Boulter secured victory over Kazakhstan to put Britain back at the elite level of the competition formerly known as Fed Cup.

But she suffered a stress fracture in her back that kept her out for more than six months and sent her ranking plummeting out of the top 100.

It has taken until this year for Boulter to get back to and now surpass that level, and at 58 in the world she is by some distance the highest-ranked player in the tie.

“It really was something that stuck in my memory for many, many years,” said Boulter of the Kazakhstan clash.

“But I think I see the positives and the negatives of that tie. I really do. And I learned a lot from the situation that I was in, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.

“It’s a full circle for me. I’m glad to be back here, and I don’t think I’d be in the position I am right now if it wasn’t for that tie. So I’m glad to be back here with a great team behind me.”

Boulter has been sharing her memories of that weekend with her good friend Jodie Burrage, who will make a long-awaited debut in the competition.

Burrage, ranked 93, has been unlucky to miss out in previous ties, and she said: “I’ve absolutely loved this week. The vibe’s been great. I’m really happy that (captain) Anne (Keothavong) has trusted me to play tomorrow and I will go out there and do my absolute best to come away with the win.

“It’s just a really proud moment for me, walking out on the court tomorrow, but once I get that done then it’ll be all down to business. Playing at home as well in this arena, the girls told me that this is one of the best places that they have played, so I can’t wait to experience that tomorrow.”

This time last year Britain were on their way to a historic semi-final appearance in the competition having been given a wild card for the final stages as hosts in Glasgow.

Defeat by France in Coventry in April meant they missed out this year and they must beat Sweden to have another shot at qualifying in 2024.

Anything but victory would be a disaster given the visitors are without their only two top-200 players in Rebecca Peterson and Mirjam Bjorklund, who both withdrew through injury.

Instead, they are relying on world number 372 Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, who will take on Burrage first up on Saturday, and 532nd-ranked Caijsa Hennemann.

Keothavong insisted there will be no complacency, saying: “There’s absolutely no room for that, and I think we’ve seen in this competition that anything’s possible. This team need to go out there and impose themselves. You can’t underestimate anyone out there.

“These are the kinds of ties we want, on home soil with a full house. The players know what they need to do and hopefully they’re going to go out there tomorrow and execute it.

“I think all of us collectively are motivated to get back into the world group because we know what we’re capable of as a team. When we come together, we really do rise to the challenge.”

Meanwhile, Britain’s junior Billie Jean King Cup team reached the semi-finals of the under-16 competition with a 3-0 victory over Sweden and will play the Czech Republic for a place in the final.

Andy Murray has split from coach Ivan Lendl for a third time.

Murray won all three of his grand slam titles in his first two spells with the former world number one and they reunited again last March.

But, although the Scot regained his place in the top 50 after years of battling to overcome hip problems, he has not achieved the results he wanted, particularly at the biggest tournaments.

“Ivan has been by my side at the biggest moments in my career and I can’t thank him enough for all that he’s helped me achieve,” said Murray.

“He’s a unique character who understands what it takes to win and I’ve learnt an awful lot over the years from him.”

An issue throughout their partnership has been Lendl’s reluctance to travel from his home in the US, and that has been particularly acute this year.

Murray will continue to work with Mark Hilton and Jonny O’Mara, who have both been much more frequent presences courtside than Lendl in recent months.

“I will look back with some great memories of the time Andy and I worked together,” said eight-time grand slam champion Lendl.

“He’s as hard a worker as there is and the sport is better because of him.  I wish him only the best in the years to come.”

Murray cut a downbeat figure after his latest loss to Australian Alex De Minaur in Paris last week having held a dominant lead and admitted he is not enjoying playing at the moment.

But he is set to be part of Britain’s Davis Cup team for their quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga later this month and it was announced earlier on Friday that he will begin next season at the Brisbane International.

Naomi Osaka will make her return to tennis at the Brisbane International to start next season.

The four-time grand slam champion has not played a match since September 2022, taking the whole of this year off and giving birth to daughter Shai in July.

“I am really excited about getting back out on court and competing,” said Osaka. “I always love starting my season in Brisbane and can’t wait to return. The Brisbane International is such a great tournament and will set me up for a brilliant comeback this summer.”

The 26-year-old had played an increasingly sparse schedule before her maternity leave, stepping away from the court several times to prioritise her mental health.

But, speaking to ESPN during the US Open, she said of her time away: “It really raised my love for the sport. It made me realise I’m not going to play forever. I have to embrace the times. I’ve been playing tennis since I was three.

“I don’t think I can predict what I’ll do. I never am able to do that, but it definitely made me appreciate a lot of things that I took for granted.”

Osaka will play her first grand slam since the US Open in 2022 at the Australian Open, which she won in 2019 and 2021, later in January.

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Also playing at the Brisbane International, which takes place from December 31 to January 7, will be Andy Murray.

“It’s great to see the Brisbane International back and I am really looking forward to returning to Queensland this summer,” said Murray.

“I have great memories of winning the title in 2012 and 2013 and I would love to lift the trophy again for a third time in Brisbane.”

Iga Swiatek took less than an hour to regain her world number one spot after sweeping aside Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-0 in the final of the WTA Finals in Cancun.

The 22-year-old Pole proved far too strong for the fifth-seeded Pegula in a final held over to Monday due to persistent bad weather during the tournament.

Pegula had started solidly on her own serve but swiftly unravelled, as Swiatek ruthlessly punished her American opponent’s errors to break twice in succession then serve out to love to take the opening set.

Further unforced errors gifted Swiatek the opening game of the second set and by the time Pegula was broken again – this time to love – to fall 3-0 behind, her body language already indicated the tie was all but over.

Pegula fashioned her first and only break point of the match when Swiatek served for the title at 5-0, but hit a backhand into the net and the Pole duly served to take the title with 59 minutes on the clock.

Her victory sealed a sixth WTA title of the year for Swiatek, who also won her third French Open, while Pegula will end a year that saw her reach two grand slam quarter-finals ranked fifth.

It concluded a troubled tournament which drew criticism from the eight leading women players for its problematic build-up, with the temporary venue only completed with one day to spare.

Novak Djokovic could still win three majors next year but Gilles Simon reminded tennis fans the world number one is not "eternal" as he heads towards the end of his career.

Djokovic triumphed in three of the four majors in 2023, with September's US Open success taking him level with Margaret Court's record 24 grand slam triumphs.

Defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final, Djokovic – aged 36 years and 111 days – became the oldest winner of the men's singles title at the US Open, as well as winning a trio of majors in a year for the fourth time.

That saw him surpass Roger Federer – who won three grand slams in a year on three occasions.

Simon, though, warned that Djokovic cannot play on forever.

He told Stats Perform: "I think he can win some [majors, but] I think he's getting to an age where it is going to become difficult.

"Most of the observers want to believe that a player is eternal but none are more eternal than the others.

"I think he can win a lot next year; will he win one, two or three? Next year he can do one more big year, but I also think that it will be his last."

The 36-year-old Djokovic acknowledged the retirement speculation after his US Open victory, asking how long he can continue.

Simon likened the twilight of Djokovic's career to fellow great Federer, whose playing days were curtailed by injury and fitness issues.

"At one point like every player there's going to be a break, that was the case for Roger Federer, remember when he won in Australia at the age of 37 playing incredible tennis," Simon added.

"At Wimbledon, he could have won because he lost against Novak Djokovic on match point. Time never had a grip on him, he had never been injured, he played really well, and then all of a sudden he disappears."

Another of tennis' 'Big Three', Rafael Nadal has not played since January 18 at the Australian Open – again owing to injury problems as years of toiling on the court takes its toll on even the best.

"We have Rafael Nadal who we hope to see again next year, who got us accustomed to more traditional injuries, longer injuries and with doubts," Simon continued.

"Once again he wins the Australian Open, he wins at Roland Garros even with his history with his foot, he again has a semi-final at Wimbledon.

"We say no about Novak because he is more careful, but we said the same about Federer, he expends less energy, he has a more fluid game and technique, he preserved himself from injury.

"I think next year will be very interesting because it’s a year where he can again win, where he still has an advantage [ahead of the rest] but we saw him lose against [Carlos] Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

"I thought he would have more advantage on grass because of the experience he has compared to others and his game works so well on grass – but he is beatable."

Age has shown no sign of slowing Djokovic down yet after he lifted the Paris Masters trophy for a seventh time on Sunday, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets.

That victory marked his second hard-court ATP-1000 title of 2023, Djokovic managing multiple Masters titles in a single season for the ninth time in his career. Only Federer, having won multiple such events in a year six times in his time, can get near to that feat.

Yet Simon suggested 30 major triumphs may be out of Djokovic's reach due to the emergence of Alcaraz, who won at Wimbledon this year, and a gruelling schedule.

"He's so strong he knows how to prepare himself, but he can't do a series of tournaments," said the Frenchman, who won 14 career titles and reached a high of number six in the ATP rankings.

"If everything was going well he would be playing every week like when he was 25 years old, so that is what is missing.

"He looks after himself, ultra-professional and very strong. The US Open was important for him, I see him maybe doing one or two next year, but I am waiting to see for the next few years after that.

"I can't see him reaching 30 [majors] for example when Carlos Alcaraz could win two or three a year – I wish it for him but I don't see it like that."

The Rolex Paris Masters became the first Masters 1000 to broadcast its qualifying matches on Twitch, live on Rivenzi's channel.

Novak Djokovic immediately set his sights on the next big goal after clinching a record-extending 40th Masters series title in Paris.

The Serbian’s loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final appeared to mark a real shift in men’s tennis but Djokovic has not lost a match since.

He collected a 24th grand slam title at the US Open and has also won titles in Cincinnati and now the French capital, a winning run of 18 matches, six of them against top-10 players.

At 36, Djokovic plays sparingly, but, when he does take to the court, he remains clearly the best player in the world – he has lost only five matches in 2023 and won three grand slam titles.

Next up, Djokovic will aim to win a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title in Turin before trying to lead Serbia to a second Davis Cup crown.

“I try to be a good student of the game and keep track with the numbers but, at the same time, I also want to be able to just direct my attention to the next challenge,” Djokovic told reporters in the French capital.

“As long as I’m an active player, I guess that’s going to be kind of the mentality I will nurture. It’s great, but it’s already behind me.

“This is, fortunately or unfortunately, the way it works for me, and the way I think is the correct mentality moving forward. Because, while I’m still active, I still want to win more and I still want to play at the highest level.

“Obviously grand slams and Masters events are the most valuable tournaments in our sport.”

An insatiable desire to win biggest titles and an almost super-human ability to peak both for the most important tournaments and matches and the key moments within those matches have combined to keep Djokovic at the top of the tree while the sands have shifted around him.

He is nearly a decade older than any other player in the top 13 and struggled with a stomach bug in Paris but was still able to lift the trophy.

This undoubtedly does not reflect particularly well on Djokovic’s rivals, albeit they are taking on one of the greatest athletes of all time, while he again had to confront boos from the crowd on several occasions.

The Serbian’s complex relationship with tennis fans is nothing new, and Parisian crowds have a justified reputation for their willingness to jeer players, which was especially evident at the French Open this year.

Djokovic may wish he was received differently but he has also admitted being portrayed as a villain has driven him on, while it should not be overlooked that he has a sizeable army of devoted fans around the world.

He clearly takes great delight in keeping the young pretenders at bay, and, with his body holding up generally very well, it would be no surprise to see him continue to do so into 2024.

He is only two weeks short of hitting 400 weeks at world number one while he will be the hot favourite to win an 11th Australian Open title in January, which would put him out on his own as the most successful grand slam singles player in history.

Iga Swiatek has moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one spot with a straight-sets victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA Finals.

Swiatek, the world number two, claimed her 67th win of the year and her 10th win in a row in the 6-3 6-2 victory against the current number one Sabalenka on Sunday in Mexico.

The match, which began on Saturday, was suspended after the fourth game due to wet weather which has featured consistently throughout the tournament.

When it resumed on Sunday, Swiatek broke Sabalenka in the first game back and went on to take the win in just over 90 minutes.

“I’m really, really happy, I think that was the toughest and nicest match that I have played here,” Swiatek said after the match.

The 22-year-old from Poland went unbroken throughout the match and won more than 75 per cent of her service points.

She will meet world number five Jessica Pegula in the final on Monday for a chance to finish the year as the world number one.

It only took an hour for Pegula to beat her doubles partner and fellow American Coco Gauff on Saturday in a 6-2 6-1 win to continue her exceptional tournament form.

Both Pegula and four-time grand slam winner Swiatek have gone through the tournament undefeated with neither player dropping a single set.