Jannik Sinner clinched his seventh title of an extraordinary year by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final of the Shanghai Masters. Sinner, who has already secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking, proved too formidable for Djokovic, extending his recent winning streak against the Serbian to four out of the last five matches with a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory. This triumph denied Djokovic his 100th career title, but it served as a stark reminder that the 37-year-old continues to be a formidable force at the pinnacle of the sport.
The opening set was a closely contested affair, with Sinner recovering from a 0-30 deficit at 4-5 before seizing the initiative in the tie-break. A crucial missed backhand volley from Djokovic proved pivotal, and Sinner capitalized on the momentum by breaking serve in the fourth game of the second set with a powerful forehand winner. This decisive break sealed the match.
Among the spectators were Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz, who watched as Sinner, who did not face a single break point throughout the match, sealed his victory with an ace. "It was an incredibly tough match," Sinner remarked. "Playing against Novak is one of the most challenging tasks in tennis, and I'm extremely pleased with how I managed the situation. He served exceptionally well in the first set, and I struggled to find a way to break him. My performance in the breaker gave me the confidence to start strongly in the second set, and I'm delighted with my overall performance in this tournament. It's truly special."
Djokovic, who was aiming for his fifth Shanghai Masters title, expressed his sentiments: "It's been a pleasure to return to Shanghai. I've enjoyed a lot of success on Chinese soil throughout my career, and it's been five years since my last visit, so I've missed it. I'm glad I came this year. I believe I played some excellent tennis. Congratulations to Jannik; he was simply too good today, too strong, too fast. He's had an incredible year and fully deserves this victory."
Addressing Federer, Djokovic added: "It's great to see Roger here. I'm not accustomed to seeing you in the stands; I wish you were still on the court with us. This might be the first time I've played in front of you, which added a bit of extra pressure today, but it's wonderful to have you here, and Carlos too."
