Points won by each set: [ 41-36, 32-28 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
28 % Khachanov – 19 of 66
26 % Djokovic – 19 of 71
Even though Djokovic [1] wasn’t in his best shape (catarrh, fatigue after three-hour drama vs Federer a night before the final), credit to 22-year-old Khachanov [18] for playing great match from start to finish and snapping a 22-match winning streak of the Serb. The Russian came back from 1:3* (0/30) and 4:5 (0/30) in the 1st set with vicious forehands and fully controlled the 2nd set breaking already in the 3rd game, and having three mini-match points at 4:2. “It means the world to me. I couldn’t be happier to finish the season like this. One thing that with Novak you cannot just go to the net because he has unbelievable passing shots,” Khachanov added. “You have to really prepare your coming through. You have to really sort out the right shots when you can step in and go to the net.” Within the year Khachanov jumped from No. 45 to 11, Djokovic comes back to No. 1 after disappointing 2017 season, and is almost sure that he’ll finish the year as the best player on the planet for the fifth time because Nadal hasn’t played since US Open and his appearance in Masters seems doubtful.
Khachanov’s route to his 4th title (3rd of the season – all indoors):
1 Filip Krajinovic 7-5, 6-2
2 Matthew Ebden 6-2, 2-0 ret.
3 John Isner 6-4, 6-7(9), 7-6(8) – 2 m.p.
Q Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2
S Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-1
W Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-4