“It felt like home again”: Novak Djokovic declares love for Athens crowd after emotional win

Novak Djokovic continued to expand his incredible legacy by capturing the 101st title of his career, winning the Hellenic Championship in Athens after a grueling 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Lorenzo Musetti. The 24-time Grand Slam champion once again proved his mental toughness, coming back from a set down to claim his second trophy of the 2025 season

The event held special meaning for the Serb—it marked the inaugural edition of the Hellenic Championship, a tournament owned by his family that relocated from Belgrade to his new home city, Athens. For Djokovic, the triumph felt like much more than another title on paper.

In front of a supportive Greek crowd that treated him like one of their own, the world’s best player found the words to express both gratitude and belonging. “Playing here and just being here feels like home,” Djokovic said on court after lifting the trophy, his voice filled with emotion. With his family and closest friends in attendance, it was a week that reminded him of his roots, his journey, and the bond he shares with fans across the world.

Before celebrating, Djokovic made sure to honour his opponent, praising Musetti’s level and effort throughout the week. “Out of respect for Lorenzo and his performance today and all week, I want to say a few words,” he began. “Your level of tennis has been incredible all week, especially today. Your improvement on hard courts is amazing—keep it going, you’re on the right path.” It was a rare moment of warmth and respect between two competitors who have faced each other in multiple hard-fought encounters across different surfaces.

For Musetti, the loss was a painful one. The Italian, who has now lost three finals this season, once again showed flashes of brilliance, but Djokovic’s experience and composure in the closing stages made the difference. The Serb’s fourth win over a Top-10 player this year adds yet another layer to a campaign that, while quieter than usual in terms of Majors, remains undeniably elite.

Djokovic used much of his post-match speech to thank the Greek crowd, praising their passion and energy throughout the week. “This is the first time that Greece has had this kind of level of men’s tennis tournament in more than 30 years,” he said. “Honestly, the overall feeling after this week is like it felt like the tournament never left, like it was here every single year.” The crowd responded with loud cheers as Djokovic, in fluent Greek, added, “Sagapo, Greece—thank you very much.”

The Serb also recognized the efforts behind the scenes, highlighting how the event came together in record time. “This tournament happened in three or four months,” he noted. “Many people don’t understand how challenging it is to organize this kind of international tournament at this level, but this was a perfect finale.”

Precisely, this was the last event of the season for the Serb, who, despite qualifying for the ATP Finals in 4th place, chose to skip the tournament. The official announcement is a shoulder injury—even though he was playing until the end in Athens—while Lorenzo Musetti admitted that his rival told him before the final that he would not play the Finals. Djokovic ended his season with two titles and a 39-11 record, in addition to more than $5 million in prize money.

On the other hand, the Italian managed to qualify for Turin despite finishing in 9th place (just 5 points behind Felix Auger-Aliassime, who took the 8th spot last week after reaching the final at the Paris Masters).