By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, October 13, 2024

Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Shanghai final to win his seventh title of 2024 and deny the Serbian a 100th career crown.

Photo credit: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty

Racing toward the alley, Jannik Sinner slashed a forehand strike down the line that brought fans to their feet and Novak Djokovic to his knees.

Sinner’s sharp forehand pierced the lone break of the match in his 7-6(4), 6-3 triumph over Djokovic in today’s Rolex Shanghai Masters final that propelled the world No. 1 to seventh heaven.

The 23-year-old Sinner is the youngest man in history to win Shanghai as he snared his seventh championship of a superb 2024 season.

Sinner collected his 17th career championship in style as he becomes the first man to win three Masters 1000 championships in the same season since king of clay Rafael Nadal did it back in 2018.

“It was a very tough match obviously playing against Novak, he’s one of the toughest challenges we have,” said Sinner, who improved to 17-5 in career finals. “I’m obviously very, very happy about how I handled the situation. I mean he was serving great the first set. I really couldn’t find a way to break him.

“I played a very good breaker in the first set, which gave me the confidence to start off well in the second set. Obviously, I’m very happy about the performance throughout this whole tournament—it’s a very special one.”

The 23-year-old Sinner made history as the youngest-ever Shanghai champion, while denying the 37-year-old Djokovic a milestone 100th career championship in the process.

“I’ve had lots of success on Chinese soil in my career and haven’t played in China for five years, so I missed it,” Djokovic said. “I’m really glad that I came this year. I think that I played some really good tennis.

“I mean obviously congratulations to Jannik. He was just too good today. Too strong, too fast and well done, you’re having an incredible year. You deserve this… Also, it’s nice to see Roger [Federer in the crowd]. I’m not used to seeing you on the stands, I wish you were here on the court playing with us. It’s probably the first time that I’m playing in front of you so I had added pressure.”

It is Sinner’s his fourth career ATP Masters 1000 championship, including Masters crowns in Miami and Cincinnati this season.

Sinner scored his career-best 65th win of the season to level his head-to-head with Djokovic at four wins apiece.

A day after Sinner secured the season-ending world No. 1 ranking, he put more distance between himself and Djokovic defeating the Grand Slam king for the fourth time in their last five matches. Sinner is now 8-2 vs. Top-5 opponents on hard court this season.

Today, Djokovic held with more control in the opening set until Sinner took charge in the tiebreaker. Sinner smoked eight aces, including whipping an ace on championship point and did not face a break point in a 97-minute final victory.

So what’s the secret to his success against the Olympic gold-medal champion?

Sinner says the secret is no secret: You must play a complete match to conquer Djokovic.

“It’s tough to tell you a secret, because he doesn’t have any weaknesses,” Sinner said of Djokovic. “You just have to try to use the really small amount of chances he gives you. But they are not so many throughout the whole match.

“[I am] just trying to believe in every moment and that’s it. He’s a legend of our sport. He’s very, very tough to play against. I’m very happy.”

This final was a rematch of the Australian Open semifinals last January.

Playing with relaxed intensity, Sinner shredded Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 dethroning the defending AO champion to charge into his maiden major final in Melbourne. Sinner rallied from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev and capture his maiden major.

Former world No. 1 champions Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz sat side-by-side behind the baseline as Sinner smacked an ace holding for 3-all after 25 minutes.

Four-time champion Djokovic threw down the first love hold of the final for a 4-3 lead.

Driving his forehand down the line with precision, Djokovic stamped his second straight love hold for 6-5. By then, the Serbian superstar surrendered just five points through six service games.

The top-seeded Sinner held at 30 to force the tiebreaker.

Though Djokovic was imposing on serve to reach the tiebreaker, Sinner was inspired in the breaker.

Trying the surprise serve-and-volley to start, Djokovic paid the price as a sliding Sinner sent a backhand pass down the line to open with the mini breaker. Sinner smacked an ace and followed with a forehand down the line as he stretched the lead to 4-1.

The Grand Slam king was in prime position for a backhand volley, but bumped it into net , handing Sinner three set points.

On his second set point, Sinner slashed a serve wide to seal the 56-minute opening set that was devoid of a break point.

Four games into the second set, Djokovic tried attacking again but could not cope with a low backhand volley he netted to face double break point. Djokovic rocked his third ace to save the first break point.

On the second break point, the Serbian tested the top seed’s forehand with a drive into the corner.

On the full sprint, Sinner scorched a running forehand strike down the line scoring the first break for 3-1 with a drive that brought his entire box to their feet. The world No. 1 backed up the break at 30 for a 7-6, 4-1 lead.

Stretching his lead with confidence, Sinner surged through a strong hold for 5-2.

Though Sinner powered through the second set, Djokovic said this run to his fifth Shanghai final featured some of his best tennis of the season.

“I think the level of my tennis was really good this tournament, probably best after Olympic games in terms of how I played, how I performed, how I fought,” Djokovic said. “I did my best tonight. Under the circumstances, you know, I felt maybe not a hundred percent fresh, but at the same time big credit to Jannik for playing the big points better than me, and that’s what made the difference.

“He deserved to win, he was just too strong in important moments. But, nevertheless, I still think that even in the finals today I played pretty good, so, which, you know, gives me, I guess, reason to believe that I can still play with these guys that are best in the world at this level.”

A calm Sinner cranked his eighth ace out wide closing his third consecutive win over Djokovic in 97 minutes.