Djokovic Denied 100th Title as Sinner Wins in Shanghai

Novak Djokovic missed the chance to secure the 100th title of his career when Jannik Sinner triumphed in the Shanghai Masters final. The world number one, Sinner, 23, continued his impressive performance this season, defeating the 37-year-old Serb with a score of 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

Djokovic was aiming to become only the third man in history to reach 100 titles, following Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103), who was present at the match. Djokovic remarked, "I have got to keep striving to make it happen somewhere in the near future," acknowledging that his only title this year has been the Olympic gold medal.

"It's not a live-or-die type of goal for me, I think I've achieved all of my biggest goals in career. Right now it's really about Slams and about seeing how far I can kind of push the bar for myself," Djokovic added.

Despite ongoing doping allegations, which he was initially cleared of, Sinner played exceptionally well, claiming his seventh title of the year. He has achieved significant victories in 2024, including the Australian Open and US Open, with a match record of 65 wins out of 71.

The prospect of achieving his 100th title motivated Djokovic during the tournament, as did the desire to demonstrate his competitive edge against younger players. However, key lapses in performance during the final cost him critical points, allowing Sinner to secure the win.

Djokovic noted, "I still think that I played pretty good, so it gives me reason to believe that I can still play with these guys that are best in the world." Nevertheless, losing to Sinner for the third consecutive time reflects a challenging trend for the veteran player, who aims to compete against emerging stars like Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner commented on the difficulty of facing Djokovic, saying, "It's tough to tell you the secret [to beating Djokovic] because he doesn't have any weaknesses. You have to use the small amount of chances he gives you. He is a legend of our sport and is very tough to play against."

The first set was tightly contested, with both players demonstrating strong serving and ball-striking, resulting in no break points. The set went to a tie-break, where Sinner initially led 4-0. Djokovic managed to reduce the deficit but ultimately lost the set due to a backhand error.

The second set pivoted when Djokovic missed another backhand volley, giving Sinner the first break points of the match. Sinner capitalized on the opportunity, winning the set and the match without allowing Djokovic any chances to break back. This victory marked Sinner's first title in Shanghai.