Novak Djokovic, wey be world number four, go face Jannik Sinner in the final of the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, as him dey aim to win him 100th ATP title. Djokovic, who be 37 years old, overcome Taylor Fritz from the USA with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), despite him struggling with hip issue.
Djokovic show some of him best tennis this season in the first set, but him performance drop in the second set due to the hip pain. Fritz manage to fend off three break points during the fifth game of the second set, taking a 3-2 lead. Djokovic call for a medical timeout when Fritz lead 6-5, but him manage to hold him serve and send the set into a tie-break. In the tie-break, Fritz lead 6-5 but lose the next two points, allowing Djokovic to win the match.
“I face some physical challenges today, but I manage to push through,” Djokovic say. “It always take a toll on me, especially at this stage of my career, and I’m doing my utmost to recover.”
On the other hand, Sinner easily beat Czech player Tomas Machac, the 30th seed, marking him as the first Italian to reach the final in Shanghai. The 23-year-old commit only nine unforced errors, achieving his 64th victory of the year and confirming his position as the top player in the world for the year-end ranking. “It’s incredible,” Sinner express. “It’s a dream come true from my childhood.”
This upcoming final will mark the eighth encounter between Djokovic and Sinner, with Djokovic having won four of their previous seven meetings.
