Djokovic captures 200th indoor victory, advances in Athens
Novak Djokovic captured his 200th indoor win of his career on Thursday at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship, where he moved past Nuno Borges 7-6(1), 6-4 to reach the semi-finals in Athens.
The Serbian missed three break-point chances in the opening set but raised his level when it mattered, dominating the tie-break. After racing to a 6–1 lead, he energised the crowd by running courtside to high-five fans before closing out the set to take the lead.
The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings carried that momentum into the second set, delivering a composed and commanding performance to secure victory in one hour and 44 minutes in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.
“It was a very physical battle. I thought Nuno played a high level,” Djokovic said. “I was a bit surprised with how good he played. I think we went toe to toe, most of the match. Just a few points decided the winner tonight and he deserves a round of applause for his performance.
“I played a great tie-break in the first set. Not too many opportunities for both of us to break the serve of the other guy. That game was the only game I was able to break him.”
Djokovic is chasing his 101st tour-level title this week, having become just the third man to win 100 trophies when he triumphed in Geneva earlier this year. Jimmy Connors leads the way with 109 crowns, with Roger Federer second on 103.
Djokovic defeated Alejandro Tabilo in his opening match in Athens to score his first victory against the Chilean in his third attempt. The 38-year-old Serbian has been rock-solid through his opening two matches and is in good shape ahead of the upcoming Nitto ATP Finals, which begin on Sunday.
The record seven-time year-end champ Djokovic has been drawn in the Jimmy Connors group alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
For now, his focus will remain at the ATP 250 event in Athens, where he will play Marcos Giron or Yannick Hanfmann in his 199th tour-level semi-final on Friday. Djokovic is now 29-0 after winning the first set in 2025, according to ATP Infosys Stats.
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