The week in tennis: Sinner cements the No. 1 ranking, Nadal sets retirement date

On Saturday, Jannik Sinner clinched the year-end world No. 1 rating together with his semifinal victory over Tomas Machac on the Shanghai Masters, turning into the primary Italian participant in historical past to take action.

And 24 hours later, he proved precisely why he deserves the excellence with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Novak Djokovic within the closing — offering an exclamation level (or a number of) to his spectacular match and season. It marked Sinner’s ATP-leading seventh title of the yr, and he now has gained his previous three conferences in opposition to the 24-time main champion, turning into the primary participant to take action since Rafael Nadal (sure, far more on him shortly) in 2013.

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“It was a really powerful match, clearly, enjoying in opposition to Novak is likely one of the hardest challenges we now have,” Sinner stated after. “I am very proud of how I dealt with the scenario.”

Djokovic had been seeking to develop into simply the third man to win his a centesimal profession singles title, however Sinner was unfazed by his opponent or what was on the road, nor did he appear distracted by the likes of Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz watching from the stands. As a substitute, the 23-year-old Sinner was scientific in his efficiency and held off a centered Djokovic in a single hour and 37 minutes.

Sinner wanted a tiebreak to take the opening set however then seized management. He jumped out to a 4-1 lead within the second set and by no means relented. Sinner had eight aces and 22 winners within the match — and by no means confronted a break level all through the match.

Even Djokovic could not assist however be impressed after the match.

“I believe I performed some actually good tennis, however congratulations to Jannik,” Djokovic stated in the course of the trophy ceremony. “He was simply too good as we speak. Too sturdy, too quick, properly finished. You are having an unimaginable yr. You deserve this.”

Sinner leveled his profession head-to-head document with Djokovic at 4 matches every, and have become the primary man to earn seven or extra titles in a single season since Andy Murray gained 9 in 2016, and the primary participant to document three or extra ATP Masters-1000 titles in a yr since Nadal in 2018.

IMMENSO SINNER 💪🇮🇹💪

The second Jannik Sinner defeated Djokovic to say his 4th ATP Masters title 🏆@janniksin #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/gUBIocvvgQ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 13, 2024

This is what else occurred within the tennis world final week.

Rafa makes it official

In fact, that leads us to Nadal’s massive information.

Until you have been residing in a cave with out cellphone service, you are seemingly conscious of Nadal’s impending retirement. After years of accidents and a endless barrage of questions on his standing, the 22-time main champion introduced on Thursday that he can be strolling away from the game following subsequent month’s Davis Cup.

In an emotional video posted to social media, Nadal referred to as it a “tough choice” however was clearly grateful for every thing he had achieved and what the sport had given him.

Mil gracias a todos Many because of allMerci beaucoup à tousGrazie mille à tutti谢谢大家شكرا لكم جميعا תודה לכולכםObrigado a todosVielen Dank euch allenTack allaХвала свимаGràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024

“On this life, every thing has a starting and an finish,” he stated. “And I believe it is an applicable time to place an finish to a profession that has been lengthy and far more profitable than I might have ever imagined.

“I’m very excited that my final match would be the closing of the Davis Cup and representing my nation. I believe I’ve come full circle since one among my first nice joys as knowledgeable tennis participant was the Davis Cup closing in Seville in 2004. I really feel tremendous, tremendous fortunate for all of the issues I have been in a position to expertise.”

The tributes and congratulatory messages have been rapid, and seemingly everybody within the sport — from longtime rivals like Federer and Djokovic to younger superstars like Sinner, Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek — chimed in.

Nevertheless it was Djokovic’s response on Friday that was maybe probably the most revealing, and reflective of simply how essential Nadal has been to the game. Following his three-set comeback win over Jakub Mensik within the quarterfinals in Shanghai, Djokovic was requested about Nadal’s retirement throughout an on-court interview. After calling Nadal his “biggest rival,” Djokovic talked about the 2022 retirement of Federer, in addition to that of Murray earlier this yr.

“It is a bit overwhelming for me to be sincere,” Djokovic stated. “I do not know what to make out of it. I nonetheless get pleasure from competing however part of me left with them. A giant a part of me.”

Whereas he has beforehand stated he needed to play on the 2028 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles, it actually appears like the tip of an period is approaching.

“Part of me left with them” 🥺@DjokerNole displays on the latest retirements of Nadal, Federer & Murray#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/HniWoZXqu0

— Rolex Shanghai Masters (@SH_RolexMasters) October 11, 2024

Nevertheless, each Nadal and Djokovic will probably be in motion this week in an (extremely profitable) exhibition occasion referred to as the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sinner, Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune spherical out the sphere, with play beginning on Wednesday and the winner taking residence $6 million. Djokovic and Nadal, who each have byes into the semifinals, might doubtlessly meet within the closing for one final time.

Sabalenka’s battle for No. 1

Whereas Sinner cemented the year-end world No. 1 rating throughout his run in Shanghai, Aryna Sabalenka — his fellow reigning Australian Open and US Open champion — was some 520 miles away in Wuhan making her case to finish the season on prime as properly.

Taking part in in her second match since hoisting the trophy in New York final month, the present world No. 2 arrived to Wuhan seeking her third profession title on the occasion, and hoping to slender the hole between herself and present No. 1 Swiatek, who withdrew earlier than play obtained underway as she focuses on discovering a brand new coach.

Sabalenka wanted to battle again in each her Spherical of 16 and semifinal matches, in opposition to Yulia Putinseva and Coco Gauff, respectively. After shedding the opening set 6-1 in every match, she discovered a method to win each instances. And within the closing in opposition to hometown favourite and 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, Sabalenka needed to battle in opposition to her opponent and the sell-out crowd of 13,000 in a fiercely contested three-set match that lasted two hours and 41 minutes.

In contrast to in her earlier matches that went the gap, Sabalenka was in management early earlier than Zheng calmed her nerves and raised her stage to drive a decider. However within the closing set it was all Sabalenka, who took a 3-0 double break lead and gained the match 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for her fourth title of 2024. The 26-year-old now owns an astounding 17-0 document in Wuhan and she or he later stated the match “felt like residence.”

3-peat full 🏆🏆🏆@SabalenkaA | #WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/Do0Pje2KdQ

— wta (@WTA) October 13, 2024

Now, because the season races to a end, Sabalenka is simply 69 factors behind Swiatek within the rankings and may have an opportunity to overhaul her. She stated it was “very nice to see” simply how shut she was when requested about it following Sunday’s win.

“I all the time say after all it is one of many objectives, however I choose [to] deal with myself and simply maintain working exhausting, Sabalenka stated. “We’ll see after the [WTA] Finals if I used to be adequate this season to develop into world No. 1.”

Surgical procedure for Korda

After a powerful summer season, which noticed him win the Mubadala Citi DC Open title and crack the highest 15 for the primary time in his profession, American Sebastian Korda introduced on Friday he had just lately undergone surgical procedure on his proper elbow. Presently ranked No. 22 and the fifth-ranked American man, the 24-year-old Korda made the announcement on Instagram, with a photograph of himself in a hospital mattress.

“I have been coping with some elbow points and my staff and I made a decision surgical procedure was the best choice,” he wrote. “The whole lot went nice, and I am unable to wait to be again on court docket quickly.”

Korda, who was sidelined for a number of months in 2023 with a wrist harm, entered the US Open with momentum on his aspect, having additionally reached the semifinals on the Canadian Open in August. However he was handed a disappointing loss within the second spherical by Machac, and hasn’t performed since. No particulars concerning the timing for his return to competitors have been included within the submit.

‘El dia mas magico’

Former world No. 1 and two-time main champion Garbine Muguruza obtained married to Arthur Borges, her accomplice of three years, final week. Muguruza, who formally retired from tennis earlier this yr, shared images from her massive day on social media on Thursday.

And we could not resist one other alternative to share the pair’s unimaginable meet-cute story in hopes that at some point it is going to develop into a Netflix film.

As Muguruza tells it, she was bored throughout an off day from competitors in the course of the 2021 US Open and, since she was staying close to Central Park, determined to go for a stroll. Throughout her jaunt across the metropolis, a fan stopped her on the road to want her luck within the match and ask her to take an image with him. As you have most likely found out, that fan was Borges. Muguruza later stated that it was “love at first sight” and the remaining is now historical past. Cute and match for a fairy story historical past.

This is to hoping for a lifetime of happiness for these two — and a film deal.