Djokovic Clinches a Record Seventh Year-End No. 1

Novak Djokovic will finish the year as world No. 1 for a record seventh time. The plant-based Serb sealed it on Saturday, November 6 by beating Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5) in the Paris Masters semi-finals, moving past Pete Sampras, who finished six years on top.

He wasn't done there. On Sunday he beat Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final, gaining revenge for his US Open final defeat. That gave him a record sixth Paris title and a record 37th Masters 1000 title, one clear of Rafael Nadal, the tournament record shows.

It caps one of the best seasons of his career. He has won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon this year, reached a 20th major title, and joined Nadal as only the second man to win majors on clay, grass and hard courts in the same year, according to his season record.

Djokovic eats a plant-based diet, though he has said he has a little fish now and then. He has faced plenty of doubters for it, and he told reporters at the Australian Open last year, as reported by VegNews:

I'm very pleased to be plant-based and play at this level. There's been a lot of criticism. People around me didn't really think that I could do that. There was a lot of doubt and a lot of question marks.

He has also said the diet cleared up his allergies and mild asthma. And his semi-final opponent Hurkacz eats plant-based too, so Saturday's match was a plant-powered contest.

Last year Djokovic finished year-end No. 1 for a record-equaling sixth time, and in July he won Wimbledon to reach 20 majors. Hurkacz has been flying too, after he won the Miami Open, Poland's first Masters 1000 title in April.

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