Monday 3 November 2014 08:36, UK
Novak Djokovic claimed his landmark 600th career win and retained his Paris Masters title with a one-sided 6-2 6-3 success against Milos Raonic.
The Serb secured his 20th Masters title and increased the gap in the rankings between himself and Roger Federer to 1,310 points - a very healthy lead in his quest to end the year as the world No 1 for a third time.
Djokovic also added to his 2009 and 2013 titles in the French capital thanks to his 27th straight match victory on the indoor hardcourts with his last defeat back in Paris coming two years ago.
With his wife Jelena giving birth to the couple's first child on the eve of the Paris tournament, a boy they have named Stefan, Djokovic celebrated his win in Paris by sucking his thumb.
"I can't be more than grateful than I am at this moment and happier at this stage of my life," he told Sky Sports.
"I became a dad and got married in July this year. I won Wimbledon and I'm still number one so this is definitely the best time of my life. I'm trying to savour every moment of it. I'm going to go back home and see my boy for a few days and then come to the O2."
He started the match with a nonchalant break of the big-serving Canadian to race into a 3-0 lead in Bercy before Raonic held.
The Wimbledon champion saved three break points in the seventh game and then took a medical time out for a problem with his Achilles tendon. The treatment didn't seem to have any adverse effect on Djokovic though as he broke again to win the set.
Raonic had been impressive en route to his second Masters final, securing the best win of his career against Roger Federer and then edging Tomas Berdych in the last four.
But Djokovic was proving an irresistible force with all the momentum going the way of the top seed. He broke a disheartened Raonic for the third time to establish a 3-0 lead in identical fashion to the first.
It's not easy against a player with such a big serve but I played an exceptional match and I'm very happy to win this trophy.
The Canadian saved two match points in the eighth game to stay in contention. However, Djokovic served it out in nerveless fashion after just 83 minutes of action to remain perfect in Paris having not lost a set all week.
"Congratulations to Milos, I'm very happy for him that he qualified for London but today I played the best tennis I've played all week," Djokovic said.
"It's not easy against a player with such a big serve but I played an exceptional match and I'm very happy to win this trophy."
A maiden Masters title would have moved Raonic up to No 5 in the world and also halt a run of three straight defeats to Djokovic, but the Serb was in a league of his own to bag his sixth title of the season.
"It's been an incredible week for me," said Raonic. "Congratulations to Novak for his win and also the new addition to his family, now I'm going to focus on London and I'm going to fight hard over there."
It is fun to see a guy at the height of his powers like this, and he has the chance to enter the pantheon of tennis greats.
Djokovic improved to a 57-8 win-loss record for the year and now heads to the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena as firm favourite to land a fourth season-ending crown.
Sky Sports Tennis pundit Barry Cowan: “It was a brilliant, controlled performance from Novak, who mastered the art of playing aggressive tennis but also playing the percentages.
“It helps when you get off to a fast start but he will be delighted that there was no blip or loss of focus and that he didn’t really allow Raonic to play a part.
“When the pressure is on – and it was this week with it being so close between him and Federer for that World No 1 ranking – he makes big statements and that only boosts your self-belief."
