"Next Gen or whatever they call it. 30+ Gen": Novak Djokovic jokes to Grigor Dimitrov after Paris Masters 'veterans' final

Novak Djokovic joked to Grigor Dimitrov that they were in the "30+ Gen" after their clash in the final of the 2023 Paris Masters.

The World No. 1 and No. 17 are 36 and 32 years old respectively, meaning that they have a long history of playing against each other on the ATP Tour. They first met over ten years ago at the 2012 Shanghai Masters, where Djokovic defeated Dimitrov 6-3, 6-2.

The Serbian player went on to win almost all of their clashes over the next eleven years, with Dimitrov only scoring one win against him at the 2013 Madrid Open. Djokovic extended his dominance of their head-to-head to 12-1 today, November 5, with his victory over the Bulgarian player in Paris.

Both players overcame some tough three-set thrillers to reach the final but Djokovic ultimately prevailed in straight sets against Dimitrov, winning the match 6-4, 6-3 to claim his seventh Paris Masters title and 40th career Masters 1000 title.

After the match, Dimitrov was feeling emotional due to the fact that a victory would have seen him win his first ATP title since 2017, but Djokovic was quick to comfort him, highlighting the strength of their bond.

This was further demonstrated at the awards ceremony, as Djokovic complimented his opponent and joked about their longevity on the Tour.

"It’s always a pleasure to share the court with you [Dimitrov]. We go back a long time. We’re kind of veterans of the tour right now. Next Gen or whatever they call it. 30+ Gen," he said.

Djokovic will be back in action later this month at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.