Novak Djokovic’s quest for a 100th career title was thwarted by Jannik Sinner, who claimed a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory in the Shanghai Masters final. The world number one, 23-year-old Sinner, earned his seventh title of the year with the win over the 37-year-old Djokovic, who had been seeking to join Jimmy Connors (109 titles) and Roger Federer (103 titles) in the exclusive 100-title club.
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, expressed his determination to achieve the milestone in the future, stating, “I have got to keep striving to make it happen somewhere in the near future.” Despite the loss, he emphasized that winning the 100th title was not a “live-or-die” goal, noting that his career’s major objectives, including the Olympic gold medal, had been accomplished. “Right now it’s really about Slams and about seeing how far I can kind of push the bar for myself,” Djokovic added.
Sinner, who has had an impressive 2024 season, also remains under investigation for a doping case, although he was initially cleared of any wrongdoing. He has won 65 out of 71 matches this year, including titles at the Australian Open and US Open. The victory in Shanghai marked his seventh title of 2024.
For Djokovic, the pursuit of the century was an added motivation in Shanghai, as he sought to prove that he can still compete with the younger generation. However, lapses in his game during crucial moments of the final allowed Sinner to clinch the win. Djokovic acknowledged that despite the loss, his performance in the tournament provided positive signs, stating, “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.”
This defeat to Sinner marked Djokovic’s third consecutive loss to the Italian, with Sinner acknowledging Djokovic’s dominance in the sport. “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 match itself featured a tightly contested first set, with both players failing to break serve, leading to a tie-break. Sinner took control early in the tie-break, racing to a 4-0 lead before securing the set. Djokovic had opportunities to make a comeback, but a netted backhand volley allowed Sinner to take the set 7-6 (7-4). Both players won 73 points each in the first set, demonstrating how close the match was.
The second set saw Sinner capitalize on Djokovic’s missed backhand volleys, which led to the first break points of the match. Sinner converted the second break point with a forehand winner, giving him a decisive 2-1 lead. Djokovic could not recover, and Sinner went on to serve out the match, clinching his first Shanghai Masters title.
