In a thrilling Shanghai Masters final, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner emerged victorious over Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic with a scoreline of 7-6(4), 6-3, extending Djokovic's wait for his elusive 100th singles title.
At just 23 years old, Sinner made history as the youngest-ever champion of the Shanghai Masters, besting Djokovic in front of a packed crowd at the Qi Zhong Stadium in Shanghai Municipality.
Djokovic had been on the brink of joining an elite group of players by securing his 100th singles title, trailing only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). However, the match saw Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, struggle to break Sinner's formidable serve, conceding just five points in six service games.
The first set went to a tense tiebreaker, where Sinner capitalized on his improved tiebreak record of 24-8 this year, winning four consecutive points to clinch the set. Sinner leveraged this momentum to dominate the second set 6-3, sealing the victory.
\"He was serving great the first set, I really couldn't find a way to break him,\" Sinner remarked post-match. \"Then I played a very good tiebreaker in the first set, which gave me the confidence to start off well in the second set. I'm obviously very happy about my performance throughout this whole tournament. It's a very special one.\"
Sinner's triumph not only marks a significant milestone in his young career but also sets the stage for an exciting future as he continues to challenge the tennis elite.
Reference(s):
Sinner wins Shanghai Masters to extend Djokovic's wait for 100th title
cgtn.com
