Ivan Dodig Aims to Do a Novak Djokovic in Doubles in 2023 Ahead of Must-Win Match at ATP Finals

Ivan Dodig has enjoyed incredible success in the 2023 season. The Croatian doubles specialist has won five titles in 2023, which is his career personal best so far. His season included big title wins in London, Rotterdam and Beijing, which are all ATP 500 titles.

The Croatian also won the ATP Masters title in Monte Carlo and the French Open title in Paris earlier this year. The 38-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down as he continues to impress with his all-round game. Now, the Croatian star faces a must-win match at the ATP Finals to keep his dream of winning the tournament alive.

Dodig has reminded many of Novak Djokovic, with both also being from a similar region. Novak Djokovic, at the age of 36, has won 6 titles in 2023, which includes Grand Slam dominance. Co-incidentally, the World No.1 singles player also needs a win in his final round robin match to make it to the semifinals on the same day.

Ivan Dodig has won seven Grand Slams throughout his career if men’s doubles and mixed doubles tournaments are both considered. In 2023, the Croatian won the French Open for the fourth time in his career as he continued his dominance on clay court. However, the one trophy that has eluded the 38-year-old so far has been the ATP Finals title.

The pair of Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek are top-seeded in the tournament and got off to the perfect start after beating Maximo Gonzales and Andres Molteni 6-4 6-2 in the opening doubles match of the tournament. However, the favorites suffered a defeat at the hands of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the second match of the round robins. Now, the top seeded duo need to win against Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Friday to keep their hopes of ATP Finals title alive.

Ivan Dodig has enjoyed a successful 2023 season

At the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters, Dodig and Krajicek won their first Masters championship together, defeating Romain Arneodo and Sam Weissborn in the final. Dodig and Krajicek had a fine clay season and their constant performances helped them reach the final of the 2023 French Open for the second time in a row. Although this was Dodig’s third French Open title, it was the duo’s first one together.

After the US Open, Dodig reached the career best ranking of number two in the world. The Croatian will hope to end the year by winning the ATP Finals for the first time and close the 2023 season on a high. However, the 38-year-old faces a must win game against tough opponents. When it comes to prize money in 2023, Dodig has earned slightly above $1 million, which is excellent for a doubles player. Overall in his career, which began in 2004, Dodig has made $9.8 million in prize money.