The end of the 2024 season is upon us, but before the ATP Tour wraps up until 2025, there is one final big tournament to come.

That season finale is, of course, the ATP Finals, and it kicks off in Turin on Sunday, with eight of the world's top players vying for the prize.

Jannik Sinner is already sure of his place as the year-end number one, but there could be movement in the rankings below him, with Alexander Zverev heading into the tournament as the newly minted world number two, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic withdrew on Monday, meaning for the first time since 2001, none of the "big three" (Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer) will feature at the ATP Finals.

Djokovic beat Sinner last year to claim his seventh ATP Finals title, which is the most times a player has won the competition.

Sinner, fresh from triumphs at Flushing Meadows and the Shangai Masters, heads to Turin as the favourite, with an eighth title on the line, but let's look ahead to the 2024 ATP Finals with Opta's pre-tournament facts.

Sin(ner) City

Sinner will not only be the firm fan favourite in Turin, he will always be the favourite to claim the crown.

The 23-year-old has already collected a Tour-leading seven titles this season, including the Australian Open and the US Open, and will be out to go one better following his loss to Djokovic in last year's final.

Six of Sinner's victories have come on hard court, with his triumph at the Halle Open the only exception. 

The Italian is only the fifth player aged 23 or under to win at least six Tour-level titles on hard courts in a calendar year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Federer (2004).

Since the ATP's redistribution of ranking points in 2009, only Djokovic (2015) and Nadal (2010) have clinched the year-end number one earlier in a season than Sinner in 2024.

He is out to become the seventh player to win the ATP Finals on home soil in the Open Era, and will be the player to beat in Turin.

Alcaraz and Zverev scrapping for second

Zverev comes into the tournament in excellent form, on the back of winning the Paris Masters.

His triumph in France not only saw him move into second place in the rankings, but also saw him claim his 66th match win, which is more than any other player in 2024 (Sinner is second on 65).

Among the qualifiers for this year's event, Zverev (14) and Daniil Medvedev (11) are the only two to have recorded 10+ match wins at the ATP Finals.

Zverev is only 27, but he is comparatively a veteran at the ATP Finals when stacked up against the other players to have qualified for this year's event. The German will be featuring at the tournament for the seventh time.

Since the rankings were first published in 1973, Boris Becker (four) holds the most wins over the world number one at the ATP Finals – Federer and Zverev have the next-most such wins, with three each.

Among players with multiple matches against the world number one at the ATP Finals, Zverev (3-2) is the only player to hold a winning record.

With Djokovic out of the picture, Alcaraz will be hoping to get back into the top two to end the year.

Only Sinner (12) has claimed more top 10 wins in 2024 than Alcaraz (11), whose last such win came against Sinner in Beijing in September.

Alcaraz is the only player to claim multiple wins over top-five ranked opponents on hard, grass and clay courts in consecutive seasons since the rankings were published in 1973. John McEnroe (1984) is the only other player to achieve the feat in a single year.

The other names in the hat

Who else will be looking for glory next week?

Medvedev comes into the ATP Finals ranked at number four in the world. Only two players won more matches at grand slams in 2024 than the Russian (18), and they are Sinner (23) and Alcaraz (19).

Taylor Fritz reached his first major final earlier this year, losing to Sinner at the US Open. Only two players - Zverev and Sinner - have won more matches on the Tour in 2024 than the American, who has an impressive 49-21 record.

After qualifying for the 2022 ATP Finals, Fritz will become the first American to make multiple appearances at the event since Andy Roddick (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010).

Casper Ruud is one of only three players, along with Sinner (eight) and Alcaraz (five), to have reached at least five ATP finals this year.

Alex de Minaur, meanwhile, will become the first Australian to appear at the ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years ago.

Hewitt went on to reach the final, so there is a good omen there for his compatriot.

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the ATP Finals, which start in Turin later this week.

Djokovic pulled out of the Paris Masters last month, and the world number five will now not feature in the season-ending tournament.

The 37-year-old, who lost to Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai Masters in his last competitive appearance, is sat on 99 ATP Tour-level titles, and his wait for a 100th victory will now roll into 2025.

Djokovic confirmed on Tuesday that he would not be participating in the ATP Finals.

"I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won't be playing next week," Djokovic said on social media.

"Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!"

Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz have all qualified for the tournament.

Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur are the three players contesting for the remaining two spots.

Novak Djokovic has confirmed his withdrawal from next week's Paris Masters.

The 24-time major winner announced via his social media channels he will not be participating in the ATP Masters event at Paris-Bercy, where he is a seven-time champion.

Djokovic was a gold medal winner at the Paris Olympics in August, while he has already reached finals at Wimbledon and Shanghai this season, in which he has a 37-9 record.

The Serb featured in last week's inaugural 6 Kings Slam in Riyadh, where he finished in third place after defeating long-time rival Rafael Nadal.

"Unfortunately I won't be playing @rolexparismasters this year," he wrote on Instagram Stories. 

"Sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there. Wishing all the players, sponsors, organisers and fans a great tournament. I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year."

Rafael Nadal said Novak Djokovic had helped push him beyond his limits for 15 years after losing one final clash with the Serbian at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.

Djokovic and Nadal met in the third-place play-off at the inaugural event in Riyadh, having lost their respective semi-finals against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.

Nadal, who will hang up his racket after the Davis Cup Finals next month, was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-5) by his great rival in his final match at an individual event.

The duo – who made up two-thirds of tennis' 'Big Three' alongside Roger Federer – have won 46 grand slam singles titles between them and met in 60 ATP Tour-recognised matches, with Djokovic winning 31 to Nadal's 29. 

Djokovic is also the only player to ever defeat Nadal at all four grand slams. 

Speaking after Saturday's match, an emotional Nadal thanked Djokovic for the role he played in his glittering career, saying: "Novak, you helped me go over my limits for 15 years.

"I would probably not be the player I am without you. I wish you the best of luck for the future."

When asked what he will miss most after his retirement, Nadal added: "Almost everything.

"It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years, being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid.

"I cannot thank you enough for the support and love I have received all around. It was an amazing journey at every single tournament over the years. I feel very fortunate to be a tennis player."

Djokovic, who also defeated Nadal at the Paris Olympic Games at the Spaniard's favoured Roland-Garros venue in July, then outlined his hope that his rival will not turn his back on the sport entirely.

"I don't know where to start with Rafa," Djokovic said. "An amazing career. I could speak all night. It has been an honour to share the court with you.

"I go back to the very first match we played and who would know we would be standing here almost 20 years later, playing 60 times. I have the utmost respect for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person.

"The rivalry has been incredible, very intense, so I hope we will have the chance to sit on the bench somewhere, have a drink and reflect.

"I know how much sacrifice there has been. It is an emotional day, so don't leave tennis, man! Stay with us! You have left an amazing legacy."

Nadal will be part of the Spain team that faces the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Final 8 on November 19, with a semi-final matchup against Germany or Canada on the line.

Novak Djokovic edged out Rafael Nadal to finish third at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia after an emotional last clash between two greats of the sport.

Nadal and Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner respectively in the semi-finals, setting up a memorable third-place play-off between this pair of tennis heavyweights on Saturday.

Spain's Nadal is set to retire after the Davis Cup Finals conclusion in November, with his last outing in an individual event ending in a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) defeat ahead of his impending retirement.

The 38-year-old struggled in the first set against familiar foe Djokovic, who broke in the opening game en route to a comfortable first-set victory.

Nadal improved in the second set as the pair exchanged early breaks, with Djokovic forced to work to stay in the contest.

That resilience paid dividends for the Serbian to put him on the brink of victory, though Nadal managed to save a match point with a blistering forehand winner before levelling at 5-5.

Djokovic's dominant first serve did not let him down in the tiebreak, though, as the 24-time major champion battled past Nadal for one final time.

Data Debrief: Djokovic snatches bragging rights

Though this was an exhibition encounter, Djokovic will be delighted to have had the final say in the last dance between this great duo.

Across 61 meetings in official tour-level competitions, Djokovic boasts a slightly favourable record, winning 32 times and losing on 29 occasions.

This Riyadh victory may prove the final meeting of any kind between the pair, though it will live long in the memory as Nadal prepares for an emotional farewell in Malaga.

Novak Djokovic edged out Rafael Nadal to finish third at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia after an emotional last clash between two greats of the sport.

Nadal and Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner respectively in the semi-finals, setting up a memorable third-place play-off between this pair of tennis heavyweights on Saturday.

Spain's Nadal is set to retire after the Davis Cup Finals conclusion in November, with his last outing in an individual event ending in a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) defeat ahead of his impending retirement.

The 38-year-old struggled in the first set against familiar foe Djokovic, who broke in the opening game en route to a comfortable first-set victory.

Nadal improved in the second set as the pair exchanged early breaks, with Djokovic forced to work to stay in the contest.

That resilience paid dividends for the Serbian to put him on the brink of victory, though Nadal managed to save a match point with a blistering forehand winner before levelling at 5-5.

Djokovic's dominant first serve did not let him down in the tiebreak, though, as the 24-time major champion battled past Nadal for one final time.

Data Debrief: Djokovic snatches bragging rights

Though this was an exhibition encounter, Djokovic will be delighted to have had the final say in the last dance between this great duo.

Across 61 meetings in official tour-level competitions, Djokovic boasts a slightly favourable record, winning 32 times and losing on 29 occasions.

This Riyadh victory may prove the final meeting of any kind between the pair, though it will live long in the memory as Nadal prepares for an emotional farewell in Malaga.

Rafael Nadal is looking forward to playing Novak Djokovic one last time when they meet in the third-place play-off of the 6 Kings Slam exhibition event on Saturday.

The Spaniard lost to his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets on Thursday and was applauded off after the defeat in what is his penultimate tournament.

However, it has teed up one final meeting between the great rivals, who are the only male players to have faced each other 60 times in the Open Era.

They last met in the second round at the Paris Olympics, with the Serb coming out on top, earning his 31st win despite Nadal's late fightback.

At the time, that looked to be their last dance, but Nadal is excited to go head-to-head with him once again.

"To have Novak in front [of me], it's like a nostalgic thing," said Nadal, who has won 29 of his 60 meetings with Djokovic.

"Playing against Novak has always been a big challenge, [he is] a great rival. He is a player who has always pushed me to the highest level, taken me to the limit.

"We've played each other a lot, so it'll be fun to play each other again one more time in this match. Hopefully, we can create a good show and good level of entertainment."

Nadal will play his final tournament at the Davis Cup Finals next month, where he will represent Spain in Malaga.

It will mark the end of a glittering career in which he won 22 singles grand slam titles, with only Margaret Court, Novak Djokovic (24 each), and Serena Williams (23) winning more across the ATP and WTA.

The 38-year-old also ended 13 different years in the top two of the ATP World Rankings, more than any other player throughout the Open Era.

Nadal is set to play in the doubles at the Davis Cup but is still undecided whether or not he will compete in the singles.

"Emotionally, I'm sure I'll be ready. Physically and in terms of tennis level, there remains a month left to prepare," he added.

"I will try to be in good shape to help the team to win. If I don't feel ready for the singles, I'll be the first one to say.

"Be 100% sure, I will not be on court if I don't feel ready to win my match."

Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic for the second time in five days to tee up a final clash with either Carlos Alcaraz or Rafael Nadal at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.

Sinner, who beat Djokovic en route to his triumph at the Shanghai Masters last week, overcame the 24-time grand slam champion again in three sets on Thursday.

The world number one picked up where he left off in Shanghai with a break in the very first game of the encounter, then another break seven games later saw him seize the opener in emphatic fashion, only dropping two points on his own serve.

Djokovic roared back in the second set, though, recovering from another early break before producing a flawless tie-break performance to level things up.

The decider was a far more even affair, Djokovic forcing two break points at 3-2 up before the momentum switched, with Sinner getting the better of the 37-year-old through three straight breaks of serve to wrap up a two-hour, 27-minute victory.

Data Debrief: Sinner maintains Djokovic streak

While Thursday's win at the inaugural exhibition event in Riyadh will not count towards the pair's official ATP Tour head-to-head record, Sinner maintained his fine recent form against Djokovic.

He has now won his last four matches against Djokovic overall, and five of his last six.

Jannik Sinner brushed aside Daniil Medvedev to reach the semi-finals of the 6 Kings Slam with a straight-sets triumph at the inaugural event in Saudi Arabia. 

Sinner, fresh from his Shanghai Masters victory last week, needed just over an hour to down his opponent, emerging a 6-0 6-3 victor in a repeat of this year's Australian Open final. 

The Italian asserted his dominance from the off, breaking Medvedev's serve in the opening game before hammering home his advantage to take the first set at a canter. 

Medvedev, however, responded well in the second, trading blows with Sinner, but was undone in the fifth game as the world number one broke his serve once again. 

Sinner held his serve and, despite squandering one match point, made no mistake at the second time of asking.

A showdown with Novak Djokovic, who he beat in last week's Shanghai showpiece, awaits in the last four.

"It was a very good performance, considering I only arrived here a couple of days ago," Sinner said. 

"I only had one practice session, but I was looking forward to coming here. It's something very new. We are six of the best tennis players in the world."

Jannik Sinner confirmed his place at the top of the ATP year-end world rankings, with only two players in history having done so quicker.

Sinner had actually sealed his spot at the summit with his semi-final victory over Tomas Machac before defeating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters title on Sunday.

On the back of his title run, Sinner – who picked up 910 points to move to a grand total of 11,920 – has opened up an unassailable 4,800-point lead over Carlos Alcaraz in the standings.

And only Djokovic and the soon-to-be-retired Nadal have managed to seal the year-end number-one spot earlier in a season than Sinner, since the ATP rankings were modified in 2009.

Djokovic was crowned as 2015's year-end number one on September 14, while Nadal secured that position for the 2010 rankings on October 9 of that year.

Sinner has won 65 of his 71 Tour-level matches this year, and claimed seven trophies, including the Australian Open and US Open.

The 23-year-old is the 19th player to claim the year-end world number-one ranking and just the fourth active player, joining Djokovic, Nadal and Alcaraz.

He has already held top spot for 17 weeks, and ranks 18th among the 29 players who have reached world number one for weeks spent at the top of the pile.

Jannik Sinner hopes to see Novak Djokovic fit and firing at the biggest tournaments for years to come.

Djokovic proved no match for Sinner as the world number one prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters.

Sinner's dominant display denied Djokovic what would have been his 100th ATP Tour-level title, albeit that trophy is bound to come sooner rather than later for the 37-year-old.

With Rafael Nadal having confirmed his retirement earlier this week, Djokovic is the final member of "the big four" remaining, following Andy Murray's retirement earlier this year.

And 23-year-old Sinner, who is now even at 4-4 in his head-to-head record with Djokovic, hopes to see the Serbian remain at the top of the game.

"It's so nice to see you still playing incredible tennis, you keep showing it year after year," Sinner told Djokovic during the trophy presentation.

"You are doing an incredible job, I wish you all the best, not only for this season but for staying healthy next season and hopefully seeing you as long as possible here on big stages."

Speaking to Sky Sports, Sinner said: "It was a very tough match, playing against Novak is one of the toughest challenges.

"He was serving great the first set, I couldn't find a way to break him, and then I played a very good tie-breaker which gave me confidence for the second set.

"Very happy with my performance through this whole tournament – a very special moment.

"[Djokovic [doesn't] have any weaknesses. You have to use the very small number of chances he gives you but there are not many through a whole match.

"You try to believe in every moment. He's a legend of our sport, he's very tough to play against so I'm very happy."

Sinner is the first player to claim three consecutive wins head-to-head against Djokovic since Nadal in 2013.

The Italian is only the fifth player aged 23 or under in the Open Era to win 6+ hard-court ATP titles in a calendar year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Roger Federer (2004).

Federer and Carlos Alcaraz were present in the stands during Sunday's showdown, and Djokovic quipped that only added to the pressure.

"It's really nice to see Roger, I'm not used to seeing you in the stands, I wish you were on the court playing with us," he said.

"It's probably the first time I played in front of you, so I had an added pressure, but thank you for being here. And Carlos as well."

Speaking to Sinner, Djokovic said: "Congratulations to Jannik, you were just too good today and you're having an incredible year – you deserve this.

"Congratulations to his team, as well, for a great week – well done, I'm really glad you guys are doing well, you deserve this."

Novak Djokovic's wait for his 100th ATP Tour title rolled on as Jannik Sinner cemented his place at the top of the world by claiming the Shanghai Masters title.

With Carlos Alcaraz and Roger Federer watching on from the stands, world number one Sinner turned in a sensational show of force to dispatch Djokovic 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 on Sunday.

Sinner needed just one hour and 39 minutes to wrap up his third ATP 1000 title of a remarkable season in which he has now won 65 matches.

The Italian did have to get the better of Djokovic in a tie-break to win the opener, but broke the Serbian great on three occasions to settle it in his favour.

Sinner kept up that momentum in the second set, though, with some slack shots from Djokovic enabling the 23-year-old to claim the crucial break in game four.

And with Djokovic unable to handle Sinner's powerful serve, the latter sealed the championship at the first time of asking, adding a seventh title to his haul for 2024.

Data Debrief: Sinner's statement of intent

Since 2015, Sinner – who has only lost six times this year – is just the fourth player to win at least seven Tour-level titles in a single season, after Djokovic (2023, 2016 and 2015), Federer (2017) and Andy Murray (2016).

At the age of 23 years and 58 days, Sinner has become the youngest player to win the Shanghai Masters and the youngest to clinch at least three ATP 1000 titles in a calendar year since Rafael Nadal (22 years and 334 days) in 2009.

Sinner is only the fifth player aged 23 or under in the Open Era to win six ATP titles on hard court in a single year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Roger Federer (2004).

He is also the first player to claim victory at consecutive ATP 1000 tournaments since Djokovic in 2020.

Sinner now holds a record of 28-3 at ATP 1000 events in 2024. Since the format's inception in 1990, only four players have achieved more match wins in a season - Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic expressed his relief at reaching the Shanghai Masters final, saying his win over Taylor Fritz pushed him to his limits on Saturday. 

Djokovic kept his hopes alive of claiming a 100th tour-level title with a battling 6-4 7-6 (8-6) triumph over the American after overcoming a hip issue at the end of the second set. 

The 37-year-old required a medical timeout in the closing stages of his almost two-hour-long battle but returned to the court to reach his fifth showpiece match in Shanghai. 

In doing so, Djokovic surpassed Andy Murray (four) for the outright most finals reached at the event, while also extending his unbeaten run against Fritz to 10 matches. 

But the 24-time grand slam champion acknowledged the challenges he faced against Fritz, who threatened to take the encounter the distance. 

"It always takes it out of me, these kinds of battles, but particularly towards the end of the tournament," said Djokovic.

"At this stage of my career, I’m doing my best to recover, and I had some issues here and there on the court, physically, yesterday and today. But I managed to overcome it.

"It was a stern test. Taylor is in form, playing probably the best tennis of his life coming off a grand slam final, and he's playing really well, particularly on this surface.

"He's serving big, so I knew it was going to be a big test for me. I did not want to get to a third set, and I'm just glad to overcome in two.”

The Serbian's victory set up a meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner, who beat Tomas Machac 6-4 7-5 in the other semi-final.

It will be the pair's first meeting since their final four clash at the Australian Open earlier this year, a contest Sinner would go on to win his maiden grand slam title. 

But having performed well at his first tournament since his US Open exit, Djokovic is hoping to join Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer in the 100 club against a player he described as "the best in the world."

"I came to Shanghai after five years of not playing in China, the place where I've always had great success, both in Shanghai and Beijing," said Djokovic.

"[I've won] many titles, had great battles and great performances. I’ve said it many times, the support that I get here is tremendous, and I'm very grateful.

"That creates an energy that keeps me going, keeps me running, so I did come here definitely with a vision and a desire to get to the final and fight for a 100th title.

"I get that chance against the best player in the world, and let's see what happens."

Novak Djokovic is just one game away from securing a 100th Tour-level title after reaching the Shanghai Masters final with a straight-sets triumph over Taylor Fritz.

Djokovic needed a medical timeout deep into the second set, but was able to hold on to secure a 6-4 7-6 (8-6) victory to set up an encounter with Jannik Sinner in the final.  

The Serbian missed three break points in the opening game, but was able to get his nose in front in the fifth game after breaking the American's serve. 

Djokovic held his serve for the remainder to gain the early advantage, moving within touching distance of a record-extending 59th Masters 1000 final and his first of 2024. 

But Fritz responded well in the second set, despite Djokovic producing some stunning tennis that included a brilliant backhand winner in the fifth game which drew applause from his American opponent. 

The pair continued to trade blows, with a tie-break deciding whether the game would go the distance or Djokovic would reach a record fifth final in Shanghai. 

And Djokovic held his nerve, fighting back from 5-3 down to seal his progression to Sunday's showpiece, becoming the 13th different ATP Masters 1000 finalist so far this year.

Data Debrief: Djokovic one away from history

With a fifth final at the Shanghai Masters, surpassing Andy Murray (four) for the outright most at the event, Djokovic has now reached five or more finals at each of the current ATP Masters 1000 events on hard court.

Fritz is now the sixth opponent Djokovic has defeated in each of their opening 10 head-to-head meetings at ATP level, along with Andreas Seppi, Gael Monfils, Jeremy Chardy, Marin Cilic and Milos Raonic.

Only Jimmy Connors (164), Roger Federer (157) and Ivan Lendl (146) in the Open Era have reached more ATP event finals than the Serbian (141). 

Novak Djokovic said a part of him had "left" after Rafael Nadal followed his other great rivals Roger Federer and Andy Murray in announcing his retirement. 

Djokovic enjoyed a long-lasting rivalry with Nadal, along with Federer and Murray, with tennis' 'Big Four' winning a combined 69 grand slam titles. 

The Serbian is currently aiming to join Federer and Jimmy Connors as the only players to achieve 100 ATP Tour-level titles, and is two games away from doing so at the Shanghai Masters. 

Djokovic overcame a plucky display from Czech teenager Jakub Mensik on Friday, coming from a set down to win 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-4 and progress to a record 77th semi-final at Masters 1000 events.

The triumph came a day after Nadal confirmed he would retire next month, following 60 head-to-head meetings with Djokovic, the latest coming at the Paris Olympics earlier this year. 

Djokovic won 31 of those encounters, with four coming in grand slam finals at the US Open, Wimbledon and the Australian Open. 

With Federer announcing his retirement in 2022 and Murray calling time on his career after the Olympics, Djokovic will soon be the only active player from the 'Big Four' that dominated the sport for many years.

And while the Serbian is still enjoying his tennis, he got emotional at the "overwhelming" feeling of being the last man standing. 

"He has been my greatest rival and my rivalry with him has impacted me the most in my career by far," Djokovic said.

"We knew that moment is coming sooner than later but it's still a shock.

"When it came officially for Roger a few years ago as well, when he announced retirement and Andy as well this year. It's overwhelming for me to be honest.

"I don't know what to make of it. I still enjoy competing but part of me left with them. A big part of me. It's tough news for the tennis world, the sports world.

"Rafa is an inspiration to millions of children around the world so he can be very proud of his career."