Tennis: Jannik Sinner triumphed in Shanghai and is the new man of records – Sport

Roger Federer made himself comfortable in his seat, of course he wasn’t sitting somewhere remote in the mighty Qizhong Arena in Shanghai, but in the second best row and in a kind of leather armchair. The Swiss, the most famous tennis pensioner in the industry, traveled to China for PR reasons for his own sponsor, but combined this appointment with a visit to the final of the Masters tournament. On this Sunday afternoon, exquisite interlocutors were also able to converse with Juan Carlos Ferrero to his right and Carlos Alcaraz to his left, as the television camera captured.

The latter, currently number two in the world rankings, came over with his coach and compatriot from Spain. The 21-year-old not only wanted to watch tennis like Federer, but also had to wait for the two participants in the final. The Italian Jannik Sinner and the Serbian Novak Djokovic were later scheduled to travel to Riyadh in a private jet. At the Six Kings Cup, an exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, the three are at the start to collect the next million. In big business, everyone is involved, of course. Earn money quickly.

Djokovic on the ATP Finals: “What interests me, so I’m done with these tournaments in my career”

Nowadays you have to look three times whether matches are of sporting relevance or not, the best professionals enjoy more than ever the privilege of being invited all over the world to just play a little against each other. On the US Open the following example is the Laver Cup in Berlin, a nice (also lucrative) event, just not important.

Most recently, a lot of ATP points were awarded again at the Asian Swing, first in Tokyo and Beijing (500 category tournament), then in Shanghai (1000 category). How much some priorities have shifted for the top players can be clearly seen in Djokovic. The 37-year-old qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin in mid-November, the annual final for the best eight professionals. But he sounds as if he wants to forgo taking part for the first time. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m done with these tournaments in my career,” he said recently. Understandable, the most successful player in tennis has won the ATP Finals seven times alone.

In Shanghai, however, there were definitely important things at stake, also for Djokovic, who – he admitted – in this late phase of his career still finds motivation in either competing for his home country or chasing the very last records. With a triumph on Sunday he would have his 100th title failure and would have moved further back to the leaders Jimmy Connors (USA/109) and Federer (103). Only Sinner denied him this goal, the 23-year-old from the Pustertal, who now lives in Monte Carlo, won 7:6 (4), 6:3. As special as Djokovic’s anniversary tournament victory would have been, what Sinner has achieved this year is just as impressive. He is truly the best player in the world, as Djokovic himself described him.

Acquittal before arbitration court – but Sinner’s doping case is not yet settled

Sinner won his seventh title in 2024, including the Grand Slam trophies in Melbourne and New York. He won his 65th match, no one has won since the beginning of the year. Of the last five duels with Djokovic in the past eleven months, he won four. He is the first since Djokovic in 2020 to win two Masters events in a row. He is the first person to have managed not to allow a break point in two consecutive matches against Djokovic. He later admitted that Sinner was “too good, too strong, too fast”. Sinner, that is already certain, will also end the season as world number one – the first Italian to do so. He is the new man of records. It is also astonishing how Sinner can obviously suppress his doping case, which is still pending before the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). After an acquittal by an arbitration tribunal, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) appealed.

2024, despite winning gold at the Paris Olympics, is the year in which Djokovic’s absolute dominance ended. And he feels different himself, especially older, which has to do with various farewells to close opponents and companions. Federer stopped in 2022, the Scot Andy Murray in the summer, and most recently the Spaniard Rafael Nadal. “He was my biggest rival,” Djokovic said in Shanghai, admitting that he felt like him Last man standing an old guard feels, “I still enjoy competing.” But a part of me has left with them… a big part of me.”