Novak Djokovic first won the ATP Finals in 2008. He captured the title at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, the tournament’s name before it became widely known as the ATP Finals.
Djokovic defeated Nikolay Davydenko in the final, winning 6–1, 7–5. The victory was especially significant because it was Djokovic’s first year-end championship title and his fourth major singles title of the 2008 season. He had already won the Australian Open earlier that year, becoming the first Serbian man to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The event brings together the leading players from the season, historically the top eight singles competitors. It is not the same as a regular ATP Masters 1000 tournament, although Djokovic had also won the 2007 Canadian Masters and 2007 Miami Masters before claiming the year-end title.
A common mix-up is 2011, when Djokovic won the renamed ATP World Tour Finals in London. He later dominated the event, but 2008 remains his first championship.