Rafael Nadal beat Casper Ruud in straight sets to end the ATP Finals with victory despite not reaching the semi-finals.
Nadal, who was the highest seeded player in the event with world number one Carlos Alcaraz injured, had lost his opening two Green Group games.
The 36-year-old Spaniard beat the Norwegian 7-5 7-5 in Turin, Italy.
“I have been practising well,” said Nadal, who has struggled with injury since withdrawing from Wimbledon.
“Just probably not enough matches to be at the level that I needed to be. Not enough confidence, probably, after six tough months.
“That’s how it is. I accept that the season didn’t end the way that I wanted. At least I finished with a positive victory.”
While elimination at the ATP Finals denied him a year-ending world number one spot, Nadal won the Australian Open and French Open in 2022.
“I can’t ask for more,” said Nadal. “2022 has had a tough six months, two Grand Slams, and finishing the year in a high spot in the rankings.
“At my age, to be able to achieve and be competitive means a lot for me.
“For 2023, just let’s try to have the right preparation, work the proper way and start the season with the right energy, the right attitude, to reach the level that I need to be competitive from the beginning. Let’s try it, I am excited about it.”
American Taylor Fritz beat Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 6-7 6-2 in a three-set thriller to join Ruud, who had already qualified, in the semi-finals.
Fritz won the first set tie-break then Auger-Aliassime levelled the match, before Fritz sealed his progress in the deciding set.
Meanwhile, there was success for Britain in the men’s doubles as Joe Salisbury and Lloyd Glasspool won their final Red Group games with their respective partners.
Red Group winners Salisbury and American Rajiv Ram beat Marcelo Arevalo 3-6 7-6 10-5, while runners-up Glasspool and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara cruised past Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-0 6-4.
Both Britons and their partners are into the semi-finals.
