Novak Djokovic aimed to leave China with his 100th career title, but that dream ended in the 2024 Shanghai Masters final.
Entering the match at the ATP Masters 1000 event, the Serbian knew he was the underdog against Jannik Sinner, who had established himself as the top player of 2024. Sinner, already boasting six titles this year, claimed his seventh by defeating the 37-year-old Djokovic in straight sets, not facing a single break point throughout the match.
For Djokovic, this final represented not only his first opportunity to secure a title in 2024, aside from the gold medal at the Paris Olympics but also a chance to reach the milestone of 100 career Tour-level titles.
Had he succeeded, Djokovic would have joined only two other men—Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer—in achieving that milestone. The Swiss legend was even present for the match, witnessing his longtime rival fall to a rising star.
After the final, while Djokovic might have felt disappointed by the loss, he opted to focus on the positives from his journey to the final, recognizing the many encouraging aspects of his time in China.
“I see several positives to take away from this experience. Firstly, I believe my level of tennis throughout the tournament was quite impressive—possibly the best I’ve shown since the Olympics, especially in terms of my performance, gameplay, and determination.”