Novak Djokovic Reaches Shanghai Final, Now One Win From 100th Career Title

Novak Djokovic is into the Shanghai Masters final and stands one victory from his 100th career title. With his 6-4, 7-6(6) victory over U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, the 37-year-old Serb advanced to the final against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Sinner earlier beat Tomas Machac, 6-4, 7-5. With a win over Sinner, Djokovic would capture his 100th career crown. Only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) have eclipsed the 100-title plateau. Djokovic continues to assault the record books even as his longtime rival Rafael Nadal announced this week he will retire at the Davis Cup finals next month in Spain. Djokovic, who is playing his first tournament in China since 2019, is seeking a record-extending fifth Shanghai Masters title, having previously won in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018. The Serb has won 11 titles in total in China, including six at the China Open in Beijing, while he won his maiden ATP Finals crown in Shanghai in 2008. Djokovic also claimed a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With Fritz up 6-5 in the second set, Djokovic took a medical timeout to have his left hip area worked on by the trainer. He then fell behind 0-30 on his serve, but won four points in a row to force the tiebreak. Djokovic got down 2-4 in the breaker when he hit a forehand wide. With Djokovic serving at 5-5, he sailed a forehand wide to give Fritz a set point on his serve. But the American sailed a forehand deep to make it 6-all. During a long rally on the next point, Fritz had a chance for an overhead putaway, but Djokovic retrieved it back into play and Fritz then made a forehand error, giving Djokovic match point at 7-6. Fritz hit forehand lob long on match point and the two men embraced at the net. World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka came back from 1-6, 2-4 down to beat Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the final in Wuhan. Gauff, coming off her victory last week at the China Open, committed a season-high 21 double-faults, including one on match point. The loss snapped a nine-match winning streak for the American. “I was playing that match thinking, Well, girl, I feel you,” Sabalenka said, referring to her own serving issues from two seasons ago. “I feel you like nobody else. I know what she's going through. This is really difficult. This is really tough. But I know that if she'll be able to overcome this serve situation, she already one of the best players, but I'm pretty sure she's going to be one of the greatest players.” “I was just trying to put as much pressure on her as I can so she would go even crazier on her serve.” Sabalenka, a two-time defending champion, improved to 16-0 in Wuhan, dating back to her debut in 2018. On Sunday, Sabalenka is bidding to capture her fourth WTA title of the season and 17th overall. After winning the Australian Open in January, Sabalenka has been on a hot streak since the start of the Cincinnati Open in August. She has won 19 of her last 20 matches and has made the final or better at three of her last four tournaments, winning in Cincinnati and the U.S Open. A win in Wuhan would give her two WTA 1000 titles in a single season for the first time in her career. Sabalenka will face either No. 7 Zheng Qinwen or No. 51 Wang Xinyu in the final.