On Saturday, Jannik Sinner clinched the year-end world No. 1 rating along with his semifinal victory over Tomas Machac on the Shanghai Masters, turning into the primary Italian participant in historical past to take action.
And 24 hours later, he proved precisely why he deserves the excellence with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Novak Djokovic within the last — offering an exclamation level (or a number of) to his spectacular event and season. It marked Sinner’s ATP-leading seventh title of the yr, and he now has received his previous three conferences towards the 24-time main champion, turning into the primary participant to take action since Rafael Nadal (sure, far more on him shortly) in 2013.
“It was a really powerful match, clearly, taking part in towards Novak is without doubt one of the hardest challenges we’ve,” Sinner stated after. “I am very pleased with how I dealt with the state of affairs.”
Djokovic had been seeking to turn out to be simply the third man to win his one hundredth profession singles title, however Sinner was unfazed by his opponent or what was on the road, nor did he appear distracted by the likes of Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz watching from the stands. As an alternative, the 23-year-old Sinner was medical in his efficiency and held off a centered Djokovic in a single hour and 37 minutes.
Sinner wanted a tiebreak to take the opening set however then seized management. He jumped out to a 4-1 lead within the second set and by no means relented. Sinner had eight aces and 22 winners within the match — and by no means confronted a break level all through the event.
Even Djokovic could not assist however be impressed after the match.
“I believe I performed some actually good tennis, however congratulations to Jannik,” Djokovic stated in the course of the trophy ceremony. “He was simply too good at this time. Too sturdy, too quick, nicely performed. You are having an unimaginable yr. You deserve this.”
Sinner leveled his profession head-to-head report with Djokovic at 4 matches every, and have become the primary man to earn seven or extra titles in a single season since Andy Murray received 9 in 2016, and the primary participant to report three or extra ATP Masters-1000 titles in a yr since Nadal in 2018.
IMMENSO SINNER 💪🇮🇹💪
The second Jannik Sinner defeated Djokovic to assert his 4th ATP Masters title 🏆@janniksin #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/gUBIocvvgQ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 13, 2024
Here is what else occurred within the tennis world final week.
Rafa makes it official
In fact, that leads us to Nadal’s massive information.
Until you’ve got been dwelling in a cave with out mobile phone service, you are probably conscious of Nadal’s impending retirement. After years of accidents and a endless barrage of questions on his standing, the 22-time main champion introduced on Thursday that he can be strolling away from the game following subsequent month’s Davis Cup.
In an emotional video posted to social media, Nadal known as it a “troublesome choice” however was clearly grateful for every thing he had achieved and what the sport had given him.
Mil gracias a todos
Many due to all
Merci beaucoup à tous
Grazie mille à tutti
谢谢大家
شكرا لكم جميعا
תודה לכולכם
Obrigado a todos
Vielen Dank euch allen
Tack alla
Хвала свима
Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024
“On this life, every thing has a starting and an finish,” he stated. “And I believe it is an applicable time to place an finish to a profession that has been lengthy and far more profitable than I might have ever imagined.
“I’m very excited that my final event would be the last of the Davis Cup and representing my nation. I believe I’ve come full circle since certainly one of my first nice joys as an expert tennis participant was the Davis Cup last in Seville in 2004. I really feel tremendous, tremendous fortunate for all of the issues I have been in a position to expertise.”
The tributes and congratulatory messages have been fast, and seemingly everybody within the sport — from longtime rivals like Federer and Djokovic to younger superstars like Sinner, Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek — chimed in.
However it was Djokovic’s response on Friday that was maybe essentially the most revealing, and reflective of simply how necessary Nadal has been to the game. Following his three-set comeback win over Jakub Mensik within the quarterfinals in Shanghai, Djokovic was requested about Nadal’s retirement throughout an on-court interview. After calling Nadal his “biggest rival,” Djokovic talked about the 2022 retirement of Federer, in addition to that of Murray earlier this yr.
“It is a bit overwhelming for me to be sincere,” Djokovic stated. “I do not know what to make out of it. I nonetheless take pleasure in competing however part of me left with them. An enormous a part of me.”
Whereas he has beforehand stated he needed to play on the 2028 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles, it definitely appears like the tip of an period is approaching.
“Part of me left with them” 🥺@DjokerNole displays on the current retirements of Nadal, Federer & Murray#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/HniWoZXqu0
— Rolex Shanghai Masters (@SH_RolexMasters) October 11, 2024
Nonetheless, each Nadal and Djokovic can be in motion this week in an (extremely profitable) exhibition occasion known as the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sinner, Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune spherical out the sphere, with play beginning on Wednesday and the winner taking residence $6 million. Djokovic and Nadal, who each have byes into the semifinals, might probably meet within the last for one final time.
Sabalenka’s combat for No. 1
Whereas Sinner cemented the year-end world No. 1 rating throughout his run in Shanghai, Aryna Sabalenka — his fellow reigning Australian Open and US Open champion — was some 520 miles away in Wuhan making her case to finish the season on prime as nicely.
Enjoying in her second event since hoisting the trophy in New York final month, the present world No. 2 arrived to Wuhan looking for her third profession title on the occasion, and hoping to slim the hole between herself and present No. 1 Swiatek, who withdrew earlier than play obtained underway as she focuses on discovering a brand new coach.
Sabalenka wanted to combat again in each her Spherical of 16 and semifinal matches, towards Yulia Putinseva and Coco Gauff, respectively. After shedding the opening set 6-1 in every match, she discovered a technique to win each occasions. And within the last towards hometown favourite and 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, Sabalenka needed to battle towards her opponent and the sell-out crowd of 13,000 in a fiercely contested three-set match that lasted two hours and 41 minutes.
Not like in her earlier matches that went the space, Sabalenka was in management early earlier than Zheng calmed her nerves and raised her stage to drive a decider. However within the last set it was all Sabalenka, who took a 3-0 double break lead and received the match 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for her fourth title of 2024. The 26-year-old now owns an astounding 17-0 report in Wuhan and he or she later stated the event “felt like residence.”
3-peat full 🏆🏆🏆@SabalenkaA | #WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/Do0Pje2KdQ
— wta (@WTA) October 13, 2024
Now, because the season races to a end, Sabalenka is simply 69 factors behind Swiatek within the rankings and can have an opportunity to overhaul her. She stated it was “very nice to see” simply how shut she was when requested about it following Sunday’s win.
“I at all times say after all it is one of many objectives, however I want [to] deal with myself and simply maintain working exhausting, Sabalenka stated. “We’ll see after the [WTA] Finals if I used to be adequate this season to turn out to be world No. 1.”
Surgical procedure for Korda
After a robust summer time, which noticed him win the Mubadala Citi DC Open title and crack the highest 15 for the primary time in his profession, American Sebastian Korda introduced on Friday he had not too long ago undergone surgical procedure on his proper elbow. Presently ranked No. 22 and the fifth-ranked American man, the 24-year-old Korda made the announcement on Instagram, with a photograph of himself in a hospital mattress.
“I have been coping with some elbow points and my crew and I made a decision surgical procedure was the most suitable choice,” he wrote. “All the things went nice, and I am unable to wait to be again on court docket quickly.”
Korda, who was sidelined for a number of months in 2023 with a wrist damage, entered the US Open with momentum on his facet, having additionally reached the semifinals on the Canadian Open in August. However he was handed a disappointing loss within the second spherical by Machac, and hasn’t performed since. No particulars in regards to the timing for his return to competitors have been included within the submit.
‘El dia mas magico’
Former world No. 1 and two-time main champion Garbine Muguruza obtained married to Arthur Borges, her associate of three years, final week. Muguruza, who formally retired from tennis earlier this yr, shared photographs from her massive day on social media on Thursday.
And we could not resist one other alternative to share the pair’s unimaginable meet-cute story in hopes that at some point it’ll turn out to be a Netflix film.
As Muguruza tells it, she was bored throughout an off day from competitors in the course of the 2021 US Open and, since she was staying close to Central Park, determined to go for a stroll. Throughout her jaunt across the metropolis, a fan stopped her on the road to want her luck within the event and ask her to take an image with him. As you’ve got most likely found out, that fan was Borges. Muguruza later stated that it was “love at first sight” and the remaining is now historical past. Cute and match for a fairy story historical past.
Here is to hoping for a lifetime of happiness for these two — and a film deal.