Dominant Opponent Hinders Djokovic from Achieving Milestone
This year in tennis, Jannik Sinner remains unmatched in his skill. In Shanghai, the world's top ranking player clinches the next major title, mirroring Rafael Nadal's footsteps. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, the final opponent, must postpone his jubilee.
A smirk graced Jannik Sinner's face, but the tennis maestro contained his extreme emotions following his prestigious victory against Novak Djokovic. Perhaps the world number one has grown accustomed to the thrill of triumph in this exceptionally successful campaign for him. At the elite tournament in Shanghai, the Italian sealed the next significant title of the year and set new benchmarks in his fledgling career.
"Competing against Novak is one of the most challenging tasks there is. I'm quite content with how I handled the situation," Sinner commented post-win against the 24-time Grand Slam winner from Serbia in a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 contest. "He's a giant of our sport. He has no weaknesses. You must try to capitalize on the few opportunities he offers." Djokovic lauded his conqueror: "He was merely too good today, too strong and too swift."
Sinner lingers under doping ban threat
Following victories in Miami and Cincinnati, this was Sinner's third straight triumph at a Masters-1000 event in a year. Spanish veteran Rafael Nadal was the last to achieve this feat on the tour in 2018. The 23-year-old Sinner, who also claimed the Australian Open and US Open titles, will undoubtedly conclude the year as the world's top ranked tennis player. Sinner became the youngest champion at the Shanghai tournament as well.
However, despite being exonerated after two positive doping tests, Sinner still faces a potential ban. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) recently appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in Lausanne.
Meanwhile, Djokovic missed out on his 100th career title. The 24-time Grand Slam champion participated with a bandage on his right knee, which underwent surgery in June, and confessed to experiencing "a few physical issues here and there" after the semi-final. However, there was no discernible impact in the final.
Roger Federer, the Swiss tennis legend, and Carlos Alcaraz, a Spanish player eliminated in the quarterfinals, were among the spectators. "I'm not familiar with seeing you here in the stands. I wish you were on the court with us instead," Djokovic addressed Federer, who retired from tennis two years ago.
Federer, Alcaraz, and the other spectators watched the final between the two stellar players who gave each other minimal opportunities on their own serve. However, Sinner swiftly established a 4-0 lead in the first set tiebreak and ultimately emerged victorious in the first set. In the second set, the world number one seized the initial break of the match with a powerful forehand to gain a 3-1 advantage. Djokovic failed to recover from that. After their eighth encounter, the scoreboard reads 4-4. However, Sinner has won four of the last five matches between them.
Sinner expressed his satisfaction with his performance against Djokovic, stating, "The next one is always a challenge, but I'm happy with how I handled it." Despite the doping scandal, Sinner continued his impressive run, winning the next major title in Shanghai and setting new career benchmarks.
