Jannik Sinner will be the first Italian to end the year as number 1 in the world rankings. After his semi-final victory over the Czech Tomas Machac at the ATP 1000 tournament in Shanghai, the South Tyrolean can no longer be displaced from the top spot.
No time? blue Sport summarizes for you
- Jannik Sinner remains in impressive form.
- The Italian has reached the final of the Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai and can hope to win his next major title. The final could be a top duel against Novak Djokovic.
- Regardless of whether he wins the next title, the world number one will end the year as number 1.
The Italian tennis world number one won the semi-final against outsider Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic 6:4, 7:5. Sinner will now face the winner of today's match between Novak Djokovic from Serbia and the American Taylor Fritz.
"We've all seen how much talent he has. I had to be very careful," said Sinner in view of Machac's quarter-final victory over Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
The number 30 seed Machac kept up well at first, immediately taking the favorite's serve. However, Sinner quickly equalized the score at 2:2 and benefited from several mistakes by his opponent towards the end of the set.
Curious scene
There was a curious scene in the second set at 5:4 for Sinner when the frame of Machac's racket broke and he accused his opponent of playing too fast with a wink. But even after that, Sinner from South Tyrol remained confident and decided the match in his favor after 1:42 hours.
Sinner had already won the Masters tournaments in Miami and Cincinnati this season and also secured the titles at the Australian Open and US Open. The 23-year-old will end the tennis year as number one.
"Another completely different and special feeling"
Sinner, who is the first player from his country ever to lead a world tennis ranking, has held the top spot since June 10.
Sinner's joy is correspondingly great. "It's great. As a child, you dream of becoming number one. Now to be number one at the end of the year is a completely different and special feeling."
Sinner is still facing a ban despite being acquitted after two positive doping tests. The World Anti-Doping Agency Wada recently lodged an appeal in the case with the International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas in Lausanne.
SDA
