Novak Djokovic produced a masterclass to win his ATP Finals opener (Picture: Getty)

Three steps forward, three steps back. Two more steps forward, but slightly smaller ones this time.

Novak Djokovic is trying to stay loose, comfortable. He cannot afford to be rigid and sluggish, not when John Isner is preparing to serve.

The American possesses one of the most potent and effective serves in history. He is closing in on 11,000 career aces – more than Roger Federer and Andy Roddick – and has won no less than 92 per cent of his service games since turning professional in 2007.

But Djokovic is a different proposition to most players on tour.


The Serbian great is not only pacing in an attempt to stay loose, he is also working out where he needs to stand to give himself the best chance of meeting the ball with a decent chunk of his racquet.



Too close and the speed will be too much to handle, too deep and the bounce and spin will make the return even more difficult.

Djokovic then crouches down in his own intense style, gripping the racquet tightly with both hands, his eyes glaring down the court, searching for the ball, and any tell from Isner’s body of the direction of the serve.

His first trigger movement – an instinctive shimmy towards the baseline – occurs milliseconds after the ball has left Isner’s hand and is approaching its highest point.

Djokovic is considered one of the best returners in history (Picture: Getty)

Standing on the balls of his feet, with his weight slightly forward, Djokovic is set, ready. Ready to spring into action. Ready to show yet again why he is the best returner in history.

It did not take long for the Wimbledon and US Open champion to find his range in Monday evening’s clinical 6-4 6-3 victory.

Having produced openings in each of Isner’s first three service games, Djokovic clinched an early and inevitable break to stamp his authority on this Group Lleyton Hewitt encounter.

And that is despite ATP Finals debutant Isner playing well and making ten aces to Djokovic’s three in the opening set.

If Isner delivers the ball into the right spot, at the right pace, even Djokovic does not have an answer. Isner regularly races through his service games, turning decent opponents into bystanders with the quality of his serves.

Even John Isner’s monster serve could not trouble Djokovic (Picture: Getty)

Ace, unreturned serve, ace, unreturned serve, game. It is a familiar story. But not against Novak.

Through incredible athleticism, pinpoint coordination and sheer determination, Djokovic gets his racquet to balls that the majority of players would simply wave through.

Barely a game went by in which Djokovic did not put Isner’s serve under severe pressure. In all of 2018, Isner’s win percentage for first-serve points is over 81. This evening, it was down at 67.

At one point 31-year-old Djokovic, rushed by another 140mph bomb thrown down by Isner, paddled the ball back with his racquet almost protecting his face. Hardly textbook, but effective.

Djokovic knows how good he is at returning, which is why he reacts so angrily when a chance to break goes amiss. He sets himself ridiculously high standards. Tonight, he met them.

The Serb is bidding to win the ATP Finals for a sixth time (Picture: Getty)

Asked whether Djokovic is the best returner he has ever faced, Isner said following the match: ‘Yes, he is No.1 and No.2 and No.3.



‘He’s the best returner I’ve ever faced for sure. I’ve said that before, too. I’m not surprised. Sometimes you got to hope he’s a bit off.

‘Unfortunately, I don’t think that was the case tonight. I got my ass kicked. That was pretty comprehensive out there. I got beat pretty good.’

Isner said he got his ‘ass kicked’ by Djokovic (Picture: Getty)

Already the favourite to win this tournament, Djokovic’s opening victory has sent a chilling statement to the rest of the field.

The legendary Federer – thought to be his biggest challenger here at the O2 – was beaten by Kei Nishikori on Sunday.

Djokovic, who reclaimed the world number one spot from Rafael Nadal last month, is bidding to equal Federer’s record of six ATP Finals titles this week.

On current form, no one can stop him.