Jannik Sinner failed to defend the Shanghai Masters title. The 24-year-old retired in the third round against Tallon Griekspoor after experiencing severe cramps in the deciding set.
However, the San Candido native left China with the Beijing title and a notable milestone that highlights his hard-court brilliance. The Italian played his 75th hard-court Masters 1000 match in the second round in Shanghai.
He defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 and notched his 59th victory at this level and surface. Thus, Jannik became the second-best player at this checkpoint, trailing only Pete Sampras who collected 61.
Sinner matched Michael Chang's tally and left Andre Agassi and Andy Murray on 58. For example, the greatest hard-courter ever, Novak Djokovic, gathered 56 triumphs in his opening 75 Masters 1000 duels on the most common surface.
The milestone underscores how efficiently the 24-year-old has translated talent into results and success on one of the game's most demanding stages.
Hard courts have always suited Jannik's clean timing, precise balance and fearless baseline aggression. What sets him apart is his ability to sustain that level through the grind of Masters 1000 competition, where endurance and adaptability often separate the good from the great.
The Italian debuted at hard-court Masters 1000 events Miami in 2021, reaching the final and falling to Hubert Hurkacz. The results were not that good in the next two years, with Jannik standing far away the legends.
However, it all changed in 2023 when he reached the Indian Wells semi-final and the final in Miami. Sinner claimed his first Masters 1000 crown in August in Toronto and announced his big arrival.
He could follow that result in the remaining three events of the season before making another push in 2024. Jannik conquered Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai, increasing the number of victories and becoming one of the most successful players of this series on the most common surface.
Sinner skipped Indian Wells, Miami and Canada this year before reaching the final in Cincinnati, falling to Carlos Alcaraz after being forced to retire in the opening set.
The Italian played his 75th hard-court Masters 1000 match in the second round in Shanghai and delivered his 59th victory for a notable result at that checkpoint.
As he edges closer to Pete Sampras' total, Jannik's numbers serve as more than a random stat - they capture the rhythm of a player who rarely takes a step backward, especially in the previous two years.
