Jannik Sinner doesn't stop anymore. The South Tyrolean conquered the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai title, overcoming Novak Djokovic with a clear 7-6, 6-3 in the finalThe match, which began with an extremely balanced first set, ended with the victory of the South Tyrolean, who showed his superiority, especially in the second set.
This is theAnother victory in a triumphant 2024 for Jannik, who has already won seven titles this year, for a total of 17 in his career. This is the third Masters 1000 for Sinner, who thus confirms himself as number one in the world, a historic achievement for Italian tennis. Sensational numbers that ensure him the first place in the ATP ranking at least until the end of 2024, but probably even beyond.
Hard-fought match in Shanghai, but Jannik triumphs
Novak, who was aiming for his 100th ATP title, had to face a Sinner in a state of grace. first set was a close battle between the two players, without any advantage games. Both showed great solidity on serve, but it was the tie-break that made the difference. Sinner immediately took the lead with a backhand passing shot that guaranteed him a mini-break and a 3-0 lead. Djokovic tried to respond, but the Italian maintained control, closing out the set 7-4 in the tie-break.
In second set, Djokovic has given way, visibly tired compared to the intensity of the first. Sinner took advantage of the situation, maintaining a constant rhythm and dominating the game with his serve. In the end, the Italian closed the set with a 6-3, thus conquering the title and also winning the rich prize money.
“First of all I want to highlight the incredible tennis that Djokovic has shown this week,” Sinner said during the award ceremony. “Thank you to your team and the two you worked with previously, who are now my team. I wish you the best for next year too, for the goals you can achieve. It is It was one of the most difficult challenges and considering the opponent it's a special victory. Nole is a legend of the sport and it's always tough to play against him. The secret to beating him? Nothing, I was just able to make better use of the few chances he gave me" concluded the South Tyrolean.
“Congratulations to Jannik, he was too good for me today, he deserved this title” he said sportingly Djokovic.
How much does Sinner earn for his victory in Shanghai?
The total prize pool of the Shanghai tournament was close to $9 million, making it one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year. Thanks to the victory, Sinner has awarded a check for approximately 1 million euros, bringing his earnings Total for 2024 at $12,4 million.
Sinner closes the year as number one in tennis
Although a victory in the final was not necessary to confirm his primacy, the triumph against Djokovic was yet another demonstration of strength in a exceptional year for Jannik Sinner. Already with the victory in the semi-final against Machac, the The South Tyrolean tennis player had mathematically secured his position as number one in the ATP rankings at the end of the season, a historic result for Italy: never before, in fact, had an Italian tennis player closed the season at the top of the rankings. With an advantage of over 4.000 points on Carlos Alcaraz, no one will be able to surpass him in 2024
Sinner dominates the ATP rankings with 11.920 points, followed by Alcaraz with 7.120 points, Alexander Zverev with 6.795 and Novak Djokovic with 6.210. In the press conference, Sinner expressed all his satisfaction: “Being number one was a dream, but to end the year in this position is something special.” Jannik is the 19th player in tennis history to end the year at the top of the rankings, a result that places him among the greats of world tennis.
Sinner will receive the award that the ATP reserves for the player who ends the season in the lead during the next ATP Finals in Turin.
2024 was a golden year for Sinner, who won seven titles, including the Australian Open and the Miami Open. With 65 wins for the season, almost 90%, and only six losses, he proved to be one of the most in-form players on the circuit.
Sinner's next appointments
Jannik Sinner still has various appointments important in 2024. After Shanghai, Jannik will participate in the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) from October 16 to 19, an exhibition tournament with a high prize pool: just for participating, Sinner will earn 1,5 million dollars, with a maximum prize of 6 million in case of victory. He will face Daniil Medvedev in the first round, with the possibility of challenging Djokovic in the semifinals.
After a week of rest, he will skip the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna, to concentrate on key events: the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 (October 28 – November 3), the ATP Finals in Turin (10-17 November), and the Davis Cup in Malaga (19-24 November) where he will try to help Team Italy repeat last year's title.