LONDON, June 2, 2016
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will attempt to win a record-tying sixth title at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals after becoming the first player to qualify for the prestigious season-ending tournament, to be held from 13-20 November at The O2 in London.
First to qualify for London: Novak Djokovic
For the second straight year, a quarterfinal victory at Roland Garros guaranteed the 29-year-old Serbian his place in the elite eight-man field. He is bidding to complete the career Grand Slam this week in Paris.
Djokovic is the four-time defending champion at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, and successfully defended his crown last year with victory over six-time champion Roger Federer in the final. He clinched the title for the first time in 2008 when the tournament was held in Shanghai, and has a 27-10 match record since his debut in 2007.
“I look forward to returning there,” said Djokovic. “I love playing at The O2 in front of an enthusiastic crowd, who always supports all of us.”
Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman and President, said: “Novak is in the prime of his career and is enjoying another remarkable season on the ATP World Tour. His record at The O2 speaks for itself as he captured an unprecedented fourth successive crown last year. We look forward to welcoming back the World No.1 and defending champion to London in November.”
The Belgrade native has claimed five titles through the first five months of the season, opening his 2016 campaign with the Qatar ExxonMobil Open trophy in Doha (d. Nadal) and a record-tying sixth Australian Open crown (d. Murray). He established a new record with his 29th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, following triumphs at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (d. Raonic), Miami Open presented by Itau (d. Nishikori) and Mutua Madrid Open (d. Murray). With his fourth-round win at Roland Garros, Djokovic also became the first player in tennis history to earn more than US$100 million in prize money.
The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals has welcomed more than 1.8 million fans to The O2 arena over the past seven years, establishing itself as the biggest indoor tennis tournament in the world since moving to London in 2009. A record 102 million broadcast viewers also tuned in across the eight days of competition in 2015. The ATP announced last year that the event would remain at The O2 through to 2018. The tournament’s partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association and the All England Club has also been extended for the same period.
Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.barclaysatpworldtourfinals.com
