Novak Djokovic had the chance to secure his 100th career title in the 2024 Shanghai Masters final, but he faced a formidable challenge from Jannik Sinner. The Serbian icon ranks sixth in the all-time title race and third among male players. Only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) have more ATP titles than Djokovic, who has achieved 99 throughout his career.
In the Shanghai Masters final, Djokovic aimed to reach the milestone of 100 titles, yet he was up against the reigning World No. 1, Sinner, who presented a significant hurdle. Although Sinner was favored to win, he wasn’t at his best, having dropped a set earlier in the tournament to Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
This match marked Sinner’s debut in a Shanghai Masters final, while Djokovic was a seasoned competitor, having won the event four times before. The first set saw both players holding serve fairly easily, though the 37-year-old Djokovic appeared more assured on his serve. Beginning with the fifth game, he dominated, winning 16 consecutive points on his serve, putting Sinner in a tight spot as he prepared for a crucial first-set tiebreak.
Sinner quickly turned the tide, breaking Djokovic’s serve on his first two attempts to take an early 4-0 lead. Despite this, the 24-time Grand Slam champion managed to complicate the tiebreak by recovering one of the mini-breaks. However, Sinner responded with another mini-break and, even after losing one, maintained a slight edge to secure the tiebreak 7-4.
With the first set under his belt, Sinner confirmed as the year-end World No. 1, emerged as the clear favorite to clinch the match. He continued to serve exceptionally well while also generating break-point opportunities against Djokovic. In the fourth game of the second set, Djokovic faced two break points; he saved the first but couldn’t fend off the second, allowing Sinner to surge ahead 3-1 and then 4-1 after successfully holding his serve.
The atmosphere was electric, with a packed crowd that included Roger Federer, who had participated in an exhibition match, as well as Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, all keenly observing the unfolding drama.
The match unfolded with little drama, as both players maintained strong serving throughout. However, Djokovic’s one lost service game turned out to be pivotal, leaving him unable to overcome the break deficit. Sinner effectively controlled the match, ultimately winning 7-6(4), 6-3. This victory marked Sinner’s first Shanghai Masters title and added his seventh title of 2024, while also preventing Djokovic from achieving his milestone 100th career title.