Jannik Sinner becomes first player with this record since 2013
Men's singles tennis star Jannik Sinner scripted history after beating Serbian ace Novak Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters. Sinner claimed a magnificent 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over the Serb in the final. With this, Sinner has become the first player to defeat Djokovic thrice in a row in over a decade, since Rafael Nadal's streak in 2013. The Italian also secured his fourth ATP Masters 1000 title.
Sinner's previous victories over Djokovic
Sinner's winning streak against Djokovic started from the semi-finals of the Davis Cup Finals last year and continued into the semi-finals of this year's Australian Open. The Italian has also become the first player born after Djokovic (2001) to score three consecutive wins over him. This puts Sinner in an exclusive club of players who have beaten Djokovic in three successive matches, including Nadal, Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Andy Murray, and Andy Roddick.
Sinner's performance in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final
The final match between Sinner and Djokovic was a serving masterclass, with a solitary break point in 21 service games. The turning point came in the second set's fourth game, when Sinner broke to claim a 3-1 lead. The Italian finished the match with 22 winners against 17 unforced errors. He didn't face a break point in his 11 service games.
Sinner reflects on his victory over Djokovic
Following his historic win, Sinner reflected on the match. "It was a very tough match, obviously. Playing against Novak is one of the toughest challenges we have, and I was very, very happy how I handled the situation," he said. He added he was happy with his performance throughout the tournament, calling it "a very special one." This is Sinner's seventh title of this year. He also secured his fourth Masters 1000 title.
Other feats attained by Sinner
As per Opta, Sinner is the first player to not concede a break point in successive ATP matches against Djokovic. Sinner has also become only the fifth player aged 23 or under in the Open Era to win six-plus ATP titles on hard court in a calendar year, joining Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994), and Federer (2004).