Jannik Sinner becomes first player to achieve remarkable feat against Novak Djokovic with Shanghai win
Jannik Sinner improved his already-stellar 2024 campaign by delivering a clinical performance to defeat Novak Djokovic in the final of the Shanghai Masters.
The world No 1 downed Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 to become the youngest player to win the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai since its inception in 2009.
Sinner has now won seven titles this year, with his haul consisting of two Grand Slams, three Masters 1000 tournaments and two ATP 500 crowns.
The 23-year-old holds a 65-6 record in 2024, which gives him an outstanding win rate of 91.5%. He has reached at least the quarter-finals at all 14 tournaments he has played.
The Italian, who first climbed to the top of the ATP Rankings in June, clinched his maiden year-end world No 1 finish en route to the title in Shanghai.
By beating Djokovic, who is the current world No 4, Sinner now has 12 wins against opponents ranked in the top 10 this year.
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One of the most impressive statistics to come from Sinner’s victory against Djokovic is the fact he did not face a break point in the match.
In a strong serving display, the two-time Grand Slam champion won 76% of points on his first serve and 65% behind his second delivery.
Sinner is the first player in history to defeat Djokovic in successive matches without facing a break point, having also done this in the pair’s previous meeting at this year’s Australian Open in January.
The Italian downed Djokovic in four sets in the semi-finals of the Melbourne Grand Slam en route to claiming his maiden major title.
Sinner’s feat of serving dominance in his two victories over Djokovic this season is remarkable given the Serb is widely considered one of the greatest returners in tennis history.
The 23-year-old has now beaten Djokovic three times in a row — a run that started with a three-set win at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals in which he saved three match points.
After losing his first three encounters with Djokovic, Sinner has won four of the last five meetings to level the head-to-head at 4-4.
Sinner was asked where his Shanghai triumph ranked among his achievements this season.
“Yeah, it’s always tough to give it, you know, a ranking or a number, but, you know, today was a very special day because, you know, different circumstances,” he said in his press conference.
“You know, having Roger [Federer] in the stands, and Carlos [Alcaraz], and Juan Carlos [Ferrero], and the atmosphere has been very, very great.
“Playing against Novak, you know, in a final, it’s always very, very tough, so I’m happy how I handled these kind of situations, and, yeah, very happy to hold this trophy here.
“And, yeah, the season’s not over yet, it’s still a couple of tournaments, but, you know, throughout the whole season I had a lot of success, and hopefully we can keep going, keep improving as a player, and then we see what’s coming.”
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