 Novak Djokovic vs. Hubert Hercatch is the final group stage match for the ATB finals for 2023. And both guys are coming in under very different circumstances. Hercatch comes into the ATB finals as an alternate after Sidney Pass pulled out and after finishing number nine in the world just missing out on qualifying in the final weeks of the season. His best result here was a round robin appearance two years ago, but was unable to win a match in that attempt. This year he's got 45 wins and 21 losses, but the more impressive stat is that he's won all the finals he's played in. Three wins out of the three finals including a win at the Shanghai Masters to get his second 1,000 title. His best win was against Stephanos Sidney Pass in Cincinnati just before the US Open and his worst loss actually coming at the US Open against Jack Draper in a bit of an upset in straight sets. His form however has been great having won that Shanghai Masters and also making the final a Basel and he's only lost a handful of matches since that US Open loss. Novak Djokovic comes into the ATB finals as the number one in the world and only needs one win to wrap up the year end number one ranking for another time. His ATB finals record, his best results here have been winning the title on multiple occasions in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and be coming in as the defending champion from last year's event winning it back in 2022. His record 51 wins five losses of course not playing that much due to not being allowed to play in America and also taking some time off after the US Open and his record has been six titles in one final with the only loss that he's had in a final being at Wimbledon to Elkaraz. His best win was beating Elkaraz in Cincinnati and of course beating Elkaraz at the French Open and his worst loss was against Lyovic who was 70 in the world at the time in Bosnia during the Claycourt Swing but he's got the best form of anybody coming in with no losses in his last 10 matches. In fact his last loss came at Wimbledon back in July. These guys have played six times before with Djokovic leading the head to head 6-0 but the last time they played at Wimbledon her catch did push Djokovic very close the way her catch has been playing lately as well could be real danger for Djokovic if he's not back on point. If her catch is going to win this one he's going to have to use that big serve and also use his freshness because he's coming in here with no matches. He is the only guy playing in this tournament at this stage with no matches so he'll be really fresh. Djokovic has played two three hour matches so he's going to have to try and use that to his advantage as well. If Djokovic is going to win this one he needs to get up to a good start. He can't go down a set here and play another three set epic because when he gets to the semifinals against guys like Mevadev if that's the case it's going to be really really tough to keep playing these three hour epics all the way through the tournament so you're going to have to get up to a good start. Such an interesting match. This was supposed to be Sidney Pass vs Djokovic. I got to think this is much better than what that could have been. I'm going to go with Djokovic to win this one in straights. I think a close straight sets maybe a couple of tie breaks. Her catch coming with no matches might hurt him in the end but I think Djokovic is going to get this one and qualify to get to the semis but let me know down in the comments below who's going to win this match.