Hellenic Championship Final Preview | Novak Djokovic searching for success in home event while ATP Finals qualification in reach for Lorenzo Musetti

The first Hellenic Championship final is set to take place, with the number one and two seeds set to lock horns in Athens. In his home event, Novak Djokovic will take on Lorenzo Musetti on Saturday, 8th November.

It has huge permutations for the ATP Finals commencing tomorrow. Djokovic was the third player to qualify for the event, following in the footsteps of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in booking their ticket for Turin. It could be a homecoming for Musetti, who will need to overcome the 24-time Grand Champion to lift the title and qualify for a maiden ATP Finals event.

After moving from Belgrade to Athens, the tennis event owned by him and his family swiftly followed in pursuit. This was always a firm fixture for Djokovic to participate on in the 2025 calendar. That is despite it precariously sitting on the cusp of the ATP Finals commencing, putting his future up in the air.

He has yet to drop a set in the Greek capital, looking imperious towards a second ATP title this year, following on from the Geneva Open, where he clinched his 100th ATP title.

He first found a way past Chengdu Open champion Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(3), 6-1 before coming through a tight quarter-final clash against Nuno Borges, winning 7-6(1), 6-4. German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann was in his way of the final, with the Serbian having no trouble fending him off. He won 6-3, 6-4 and is now in the final of his own event.

After looking relatively comfortable for a place in the ATP Finals, a disastrous campaign in the Paris Masters changed everything. He was dumped out in the opening match by fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego with his closest rival in the Race to Turin, Felix Auger-Aliassime, making a clutch run all the way to the final. The title would have secured qualification, but a defeat to Sinner saw it go to the final event.

While the Canadian chose not to compete this week, Musetti was left zero option if he wanted a ticket for Turin. He chose the Hellenic Championship, with a title the only way he can collect enough ranking points to qualify.

He has made it this far after getting the better of Stan Wawrinka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-4 and Sebastian Korda 6-0, 5-7, 7-5. It is a last chance saloon for the Italian, who is in desperate need to defeat Djokovic, or his season ends abruptly early.

In their previous nine meetings, it is grim reading for Musetti. He has managed to record just one victory against the 38-year-old, and that came over two years ago in a three-set triumph in the Monte-Carlo Masters.

They have clashed once this year back in the Miami Open round-of-16, where Djokovic comfortably swept Musetti aside 6-2, 6-2 enroute to the final. This extended his win streak over the 23-year-old to five matches on the spin, asserting his ever growing dominance.

This is the first final meeting between the two. Their last two meetings have been to reach the final, with Djokovic coming out on top in a Wimbledon semi-final in 2024 and a few weeks later a famous victory to reach the Olympic final.

The pair both boast completely different styles of play. Djokovic commands from the baseline and is comfortable to turn defence into attack in an instance. Musetti will also need to produce his best attacking performance to make Djokovic uncomfortable. While not the most powerful player, he still boasts a very dangerous forehand with a great tactical brain as he utilises a vary of shots, which will be needed to find a way past Djokovic.