Tennis-Djokovic beats Hurkacz at ATP Finals but semis hopes hinge on Sinner

World number one Novak Djokovic beat ATP Finals alternate Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(1) 4-6 6-1 in their Green Group clash on Thursday but the six-time champion will be sweating over semi-final qualification.

World number one Novak Djokovic beat ATP Finals alternate Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(1) 4-6 6-1 in their Green Group clash on Thursday but the six-time champion will be sweating over semi-final qualification. The dropped set against Hurkacz, who replaced the injured Stefanos Tsitsipas in Turin, confirmed Jannik Sinner's spot in the semi-finals - making him the first Italian in the tournament's 54-year history to reach that stage.

Serbian Djokovic will have to wait for the final group match between Sinner and Denmark's Holger Rune later on Thursday to learn his fate. Djokovic needs Sinner to beat Rune to advance. Playing with nothing to lose, Poland's Hurkacz was a force to reckon with on serve -- firing 24 aces in the match -- but he ran out of steam in the final set as Djokovic converted break points for the first time in the contest.