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Can Sinner cease Djokovic’s pursuit of historic a centesimal title in Shanghai remaining?
Pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly since Australian Open
October 12, 2024
ATP Tour/Getty Pictures
Jannik Sinner will attempt to stage his Lexus ATP Head2Head collection with Novak Djokovic at 4-4.
By ATP Employees
For years, Novak Djokovic has spoken about how necessary making tennis historical past is to him. From chasing the file for main singles titles to weeks at No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings and most not too long ago an Olympic singles gold medal, the Serbian has reached each objective he has pursued.
On Sunday, the 37-year-old has a possibility to test one other main milestone off his checklist. Djokovic will attempt to declare his a centesimal tour-level title when he performs World No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the Rolex Shanghai Masters remaining. Solely Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) have completed the feat in response to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
“It seems like future to combat for a a centesimal title right here in a spot the place I’ve had nice success previously, the place I’ve great assist,” the four-time Shanghai champion stated.
For a big majority of his finals, Djokovic has been the clear favorite. That’s not the case on the season’s eighth ATP Masters 1000 occasion.
Sinner on Saturday clinched ATP Yr-Finish No. 1 introduced by PIF honours, changing into the primary Italian to take action. The 23-year-old owns a whopping 3,270-point lead within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin over second-placed Carlos Alcaraz, which he might prolong to three,620 factors with a victory in opposition to Djokovic, who’s in sixth.
To place that into perspective, Andrey Rublev, at the moment in line to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in eighth place within the Stay Race, has earned 3,580 factors this season. That’s how dominant this yr’s Australian Open and US Open champion has been in 2024.
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Sinner is now 64-6, tying his wins complete from 2023, when he set the file for many wins by a male participant from Italy in a single season within the Open Period. There was no let-up in his marketing campaign. Of the San Candido native’s six losses, 5 have come in opposition to Prime 10 opponents and his solely different defeat was to World No. 12 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion, who final yr was World No. 3.
“He’s in type the previous 12 months, greatest participant on the earth, unimaginable tennis, simply so constant, and [the] participant to beat, little question, notably on arduous courtroom,” Djokovic stated. “He is aware of my recreation, I do know his recreation. We’ve not performed since Australia this yr. Yeah, I am hoping for one of the best. It is going to take my highest stage to win.”
Djokovic leads the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head collection 4-3, however Sinner has gained three of their previous 4 conferences, most not too long ago within the Australian Open semi-finals. Coming into that conflict, 10-time champion Djokovic had by no means misplaced from the semi-finals on at Melbourne Park.
Sinner not solely gained, however did so convincingly, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3. Djokovic admitted he was not close to his greatest, but additionally credited his opponent.
“I feel his serve improved loads. He is hitting his corners very effectively, and I feel he [increased] his pace, as effectively. Serving greater now and extra exact,” Djokovic stated in January. “He was at all times very calm, very composed within the courtroom, however I feel he struggled perhaps to win the large matches, within the massive moments. However now it is coming collectively for him.”
On the time of that encounter, Sinner had by no means reached the ultimate of a Grand Slam match. Now he’s a two-time main champion and leads the ATP Tour this yr with six titles.
As assured as Sinner will probably be strolling on courtroom Sunday, he is aware of the extent Djokovic is able to. The 37-year-old confirmed it in Paris when he bounced again from a defeat within the Wimbledon remaining in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz to defeat the Spaniard for the gold medal.
“We at all times had some very powerful matches previously,” Sinner stated of going through Djokovic. “It is going to be a really powerful one, it is one of many largest challenges we now have in our sport.
“I’m completely happy that I can play in opposition to him within the remaining, it is much more particular, after which we see the way it goes. I imply, it’s totally powerful to foretell this one.”
Sinner, who has gained 20 of his previous 21 matches, is in higher type. He has proven nice consistency in each his recreation and outcomes all through the season. There is no such thing as a secret about what his gameplan will probably be. The highest seed will attempt to management the motion along with his unrelenting groundstrokes and break by way of the Serbian’s usually indefatigable defences.
Djokovic, who’s competing in his first ATP Masters 1000 remaining of the season, will attempt to depend on his serve to battle by way of service video games and use his defensive abilities to make Sinner uncomfortable and attempt to break his rhythm.
Sinner, who can declare his fourth completely different hard-court Masters 1000 crown (additionally Canada, Cincinnati and Miami) in 14 months, has the shape, and Djokovic the starvation for historical past. Who will prevail on Sunday in Shanghai?
“I’m in a terrific place to win the title, preventing for my a centesimal title general, and forty first Masters [1000], in opposition to one of the best participant on the earth,” Djokovic stated. “I will not be a favorite on the courtroom, however hopefully I will be capable of come out bodily contemporary sufficient to problem him for what could also be [a] lengthy match. I’ve to anticipate in all probability the hardest encounter of the match, and I’ve to be prepared for it, so I look ahead to a terrific problem.”
