Ein Lächeln huschte Jannik Sinner übers Gesicht, aber die ganz großen Emotionen zeigte der Tennis-Dominator nach dem Prestigesieg über Novak Djokovic nicht. Womöglich hat sich der Weltranglistenerste an das Gefühl des Triumphs in dieser für ihn so immens erfolgreichen Saison auch schon gewöhnt. Beim hochklassig besetzten Turnier in Schanghai sicherte sich der Italiener den nächsten großen Titel des Jahres und erreichte dabei neue Meilensteine seiner noch jungen Karriere.
„Gegen Novak zu spielen, ist einer der härtesten Herausforderungen, die es gibt. Ich bin sehr glücklich, wie ich die Situation gemeistert habe“, sagte Sinner nach dem 7:6 (7:4), 6:3 gegen den 24-maligen Grand-Slam-Turniergewinner aus Serbien.
„Hat keine Schwächen“
„Er ist eine Legende unseres Sports. Er hat keine Schwächen. Man muss versuchen, die sehr wenigen Chancen, die er dir gibt, auch zu nutzen.“ Der 37 Jahre alte Djokovic lobte seinen Bezwinger: „Er war einfach zu gut heute, zu stark und zu schnell.“
After Miami and Cincinnati, it was Sinner’s third overall victory at a Masters 1000 tournament within a year. The last time the Spanish veteran star Rafael Nadal achieved this on the tour was in 2018. The 23-year-old Sinner, who also won the Australian Open and US Open on the Grand Slam stage and will definitely end the year as number one in the tennis world, was also named the youngest champion of the Shanghai tournament.
“Wish you could play with us”
The Italian still faces a ban despite an acquittal after two positive doping tests. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recently appealed the case to the International Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne.
Djokovic, on the other hand, missed the 100th title of his career. The 24-time Grand Slam tournament winner once again played with a bandage around his right knee, which was operated on in June, and admitted “a few physical problems here and there” after the semifinals. There was no sign of any impairment in the final.
Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who was eliminated in the quarter-finals, also watched the match eagerly in the stands. “I’m not used to seeing you in the stands. I wish you could play with us here on the court,” said Djokovic in the direction of Federer, who ended his tennis career two years ago.
Federer, Alcaraz and the other spectators saw two top stars in the final who gave their opponent almost no chance when serving on their own serve. But in the tiebreak of the first set, Sinner immediately managed a mini-break. He quickly extended the lead to 4-0 and ultimately won the first round. In the second set, the Italian secured the first break of the game with a strong forehand to make it 3-1. Djokovic never recovered from that.
After the eighth duel between the two exceptional talents, the score is now 4:4. However, Sinner was able to win four of the last five meetings.
