Shanghai (dpa) – A smile crossed Jannik Sinner‘s face, but the tennis dominator didn’t show any real emotions after the prestigious victory against Novak Djokovic. The world number one may have already gotten used to the feeling of triumph in what has been such an immensely successful season for him. At the top-class tournament in Shanghai, the Italian secured the next big title of the year and achieved new milestones in his young career.
«Playing against Novak is one of the toughest challenges there is. I’m very happy with how I handled the situation,” said Sinner after the 7:6 (7:4), 6:3 against the 24-time Grand Slam tournament winner from Serbia. «He is a legend of our sport. He has no weaknesses. You have to try to take advantage of the very few chances he gives you.” Djokovic (37) praised his conqueror: “He was simply too good today, too strong and too fast.”
Sinner is still threatened with a doping ban
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 has also won the Australian Open and US Open on the Grand Slam stage and will definitely end the year as number 1 in the tennis world, was also named the youngest champion of the Shanghai tournament.
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.
Federer in the stands
Djokovic, on the other hand, missed the 100th title of his career. The 24-time Grand Slam tournament winner played again 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 finally won the first round. In the second set, the world number 1 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.
