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Jannik Sinner delivered an impressive performance to defeat Novak Djokovic and secure his seventh title of 2024 at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
Sinner triumphed 7-6(4), 6-3, becoming the first player since Andy Murray in 2016 to win more than six titles in a single calendar year. Sinner clinched the high-stakes first set by improving his tie-break record to 24-8 for the year, before racing to a commanding 4-1 lead early in the second set. "It was a very tough match, obviously, playing against Novak is one of the toughest challenges we have," Sinner remarked, as he levelled their ATP Head-to-Head series at 4-4. "I'm very happy with how I handled the situation. He was serving great the first set, I couldn't find a way to break him. I played a really good tie-break which gave me confidence to start off well in the second set," he added as per quoted by ATP's official website. "It's tough to tell you a secret about [Djokovic] because he doesn't have any weaknesses. You have to try and use the small chances that he gives you, but there are not many during the match. He is a legend of our sport, he's very tough to play against, so I am very happy," Sinner noted. Djokovic, aiming to become the third player in history to win 100 tour-level titles, was thwarted by Sinner's outstanding serving. According to ATP Stats, the 23-year-old Italian won 81 percent (21/26) of points on his first serve in the riveting first set. Having secured the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honors with his semi-final victory over Tomas Machac, Sinner extended his impressive record against top-five players on hard courts to 8-2 for the season. His only losses came against Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells and Beijing. Alcaraz, along with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, watched the Shanghai final from the stands. Before Sunday's match, Djokovic had an impeccable 4-0 record in Shanghai finals, with a notable comeback win against Murray in 2012. Despite showing resilience and moving well despite knee issues from earlier rounds, the 37-year-old was unable to mount a comeback against Sinner in the second set. "I've had lots of success at Chinese tournaments in the past and hadn't played in China for five years, so I've missed it and I'm really glad that I came this year," said Djokovic at the trophy ceremony as quoted by ATP website. "I think I played some really good tennis, but congratulations to Jannik. He was just too good today. Too strong, too fast, well done. You're having an incredible year. You deserve this," he added Sinner's win marked his 65th of the season, a personal best, and his third consecutive tour-level win over Djokovic. The youngest champion in Shanghai Masters history, Sinner showcased exceptional confidence on serve, particularly during a crucial hold from 0/30 in the tenth game of the match. This commanding victory adds another accolade to Sinner's remarkable season. "I'm very happy with my performance throughout this whole tournament, it's obviously a very special one," added Sinner, who became the first player to win three ATP Masters 1000 titles in one season since Rafael Nadal in 2018, as per quoted by ATP's official website. (ANI)
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