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Novak Djokovic missed the chance to claim his 100th career title as Jannik Sinner triumphed in a high-quality Shanghai Masters final, winning 7-6 (7-4) 6-3. The 23-year-old Italian world number one continued his remarkable season by denying the 37-year-old Serb his milestone victory.
Djokovic, who has already won 24 Grand Slam titles, was seeking to join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only men to reach 100 titles. Despite the defeat, Djokovic expressed a measured approach to the elusive goal, saying, “I have got to keep striving to make it happen somewhere in the near future,” but added, “It’s not a live-or-die type of goal for me.”
Sinner, who has had a phenomenal year, claimed his seventh title of the season with the win, having already secured victories at both the Australian Open and US Open. The Italian has won 65 of his 71 matches in 2024 and continues to prove his dominance in the sport, despite a lingering doping case that has yet to be fully resolved.
The match was tightly contested, with a first set that saw neither player break serve, leading to a tie-break where Sinner pulled ahead. Sinner’s impeccable play and strong serving left Djokovic with few opportunities, as the Italian capitalized on crucial moments, particularly Djokovic’s mistakes at the net.
While Djokovic showed flashes of his best tennis and remained motivated by competing against the younger generation, Sinner’s consistency and sharp ball-striking proved too much. This victory marks Sinner’s third consecutive win over Djokovic, a statistic that emphasizes the rise of the next generation of tennis stars like Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
“It’s tough to tell you the secret [to beating Djokovic] because he doesn’t have any weaknesses,” Sinner said. “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 loss won’t deter Djokovic, who remains focused on pushing the limits of his career. His performance in Shanghai, where he played some of his best tennis of the year, shows that he still has the quality to compete at the highest level.
