Jannik Sinner Triumph at Shanghai Masters, Denies Novak Djokovic 100th Career Title
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner triumphed over 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday at the Shanghai Masters 2024.
With this victory, Sinner not only won the coveted title but also kept Djokovic from winning his 100th career singles championship.
After securing a significant break in the second set’s fourth game, Sinner defeated the Serb in one hour and 37 minutes, preventing him from winning his 100th career singles championship. After the match, Djokovic remarked, “He was just too good today—too strong, too fast.”
A “legend,” according to Sinner, who continued to play “incredible tennis… year after year,” was his opponent. With a playful gesture toward former Djokovic opponent Roger Federer, who was observing from the grandstand, the 23-year-old remarked, “There are legends everywhere, I just try to keep up a little bit.” In front of an enthralled audience, neither player faltered during the opening set as they were unable to break the other’s serve.
Sinner seized the initiative early in the tiebreak, broke Djokovic’s serve on the opening point to lead 5-1. After gaining his composure, the Serb scored a volley to tie the match at 6-3. Sinner did not miss the second time behind serve after failing to convert the first time.
The second crucial point occurred in the second set’s fourth game, with Sinner leading 40–15 on Djokovic’s serve. Djokovic hit a scorching ace to save one break chance, but Sinner’s incredible forehand down the line gave him the advantage.
To win the match and secure the title, the Italian simply needed to maintain his composure and hit an ace. Sinner’s victory completes a tremendous year for him, as he has won two Grand Slams and held the top ranking since June. However, he has also been involved in controversy this year following his two positive tests for a prohibited steroid in March.
The substance accidentally entered Sinner’s system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, according to Sinner’s explanation, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted in August. The athlete subsequently received massage and sports treatment from the physiotherapist.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) declared last month that it would challenge the ruling absolving him of any wrongdoing and was requesting a two-year punishment.
Sinner received the news while competing in the China Open, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the championship match on Sunday, which he was also observing from the stands.
He acknowledged that he was “not in a situation where I feel comfortable in it” going into the Shanghai tournament.
Since Rafael Nadal in 2013, Jannik Sinner is the First Player to Beat Djokovic 3 Times in a Row
The Italian, who was born in 2001, is also the first player to defeat Djokovic three times in a succession SINCE Djokovic in 1987.
For the third consecutive match, Jannik Sinner defeated Novak Djokovic; this time, the 24-time Grand Slam champion lost 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final on Sunday.
And with that, Sinner—who had defeated Djokovic in their previous two meetings, in the Australian Open semifinals this year and the Davis Cup Finals semifinals at the end of last year—became the first player to defeat Djokovic three times in a row in more over ten years.
The last person to accomplish the feat was Rafael Nadal, who in 2013 won the US Open, Roland Garros, and Montreal in back-to-back fashion.
There’s still more.
The Italian, who was born in 2001, becomes the first player to defeat Djokovic three times in a row since Djokovic’s birthdate of May 22, 1987, not just since 2000 or 1990.
Among those who have defeated Djokovic three times in a row are Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Andy Roddick. They were all born before Djokovic, with Murray being the closest; he was born on May 15, 1987, precisely one week ahead of Djokovic. Federer was born in 1981, Roddick in 1982, Tsonga in 1985, and Nadal in 1986.
PLAYERS TO BEAT DJOKOVIC 3+ TIMES IN A ROW (tour-level):
- Nadal: 5x [2008-2009], 3x [2007], 3x [2008], 3x [2012], 3x [2013]
- Federer: 4x [2006-2007], 3x [2010]
- Roddick: 4x [2009-2010]
- Tsonga: 4x [2008-2009]
- Murray: 3x [2008-2009]
- Sinner: 3x [2023-2024]
With just one break in 21 service games, Sinner broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set’s fourth game, putting the two on show for the judges on Sunday. After that, the two held on for the remainder.
With two really noteworthy results deeper down the stat sheet—he went 9/9 on net points and faced no break points in 11 service games—the Italian finished with 22 wins to 17 unforced mistakes.
“Obviously, it was an extremely difficult contest. In his on-court interview, Sinner stated, “Playing against Novak is one of the hardest challenges we have, and I was very, very happy how I handled the situation.”
“In the first set, he was serving really well. I was genuinely at a loss as to how to break him. After that, I had a really strong first-set breaker, which gave me the courage to get off to a strong start in the second set.
“It goes without saying that I’m thrilled with the performance—this entire tournament is very special.”
Sinner earned his fourth Masters 1000 championship of his career, having won Miami and Cincinnati this year in addition to his victories at the US Open, Australian Open, Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, and Cincinnati. This was his eighth title of the year.
In total, it was the 23-year-old’s 17th career title.
