Shanghai
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner knows it won’t be easy to defend his Shanghai Masters title this week. After winning the Beijing Open by beating teenager Learner Tien, the 24-year-old Italian quickly traveled to Shanghai, with only one practice session before his first match.
Sinner’s first opponent is Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, ranked 49th in the world. Altmaier beat Sinner in five sets during their last meeting at the 2023 French Open. “It’s going to be a very difficult and tough challenge,” Sinner said.
This year’s tournament will not feature World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew due to physical issues. That leaves Novak Djokovic, a four-time Shanghai champion, as Sinner’s biggest rival. Last year, Sinner defeated Djokovic in the final to win one of the biggest titles of his career.
Although Sinner lost the US Open final to Alcaraz and his top ranking, he says small changes to his game are starting to work. “Every player tries to improve. I’m doing the same,” he said.
Focused and hungry for more wins, Sinner hopes to get as many matches as possible to keep improving. “Let’s see,” he added, “but we’re happy with our progress.”
