Novak Djokovic fears Jannik Sinner: “Number 1 is him.”
A legend that, for once, feels on paper at a disadvantage.
Novak Djokovic vs. Jannik Sinner will be the final of the Shanghai Masters 1000, but after so many years of dominating world tennis, the Serb admits he does not feel favored for Sunday’s big match. On the contrary, he acknowledges in his press conference that the Italian, now certain to end 2024 as No. 1 on the ATP circuit, è actually the best in the world right now.
"Sinner currently è the best tennis player in the world,” were Djokovic’s words.
His game in the last 12 months è has been incredible, moreover with great consistency. Especially on concrete, the number one è him. Then, even though we haven't played each other since the Australian Open, by now we know very well each other's characteristics. That is also why I prefer not to say anything about my plans to try to beat him".
Djokovic insisted that, forò, winning against Sinner in Shanghai could prove to be quite a complicated mission: "To beat him I will have to put in the maximum of my level. I hope I can do it, even though he wonò t be the favorite. I expect a long match, and that is also why my hope è to have enough athletic freshness to be able to beat him".
È it is important to mention that Djokovic è still holds a 4-3 advantage in the direct clashes with Sinner, but on the last two occasions when the two have faced each other è it has been the South Tyrolean who has prevailed. "I reached the final, and it è always special,” the Serb stressed, however. It seems that fate has given me a chance to hit my 100th title right here in China, where I have won so much in the past and always received great support from the public. And for that I pushò even more".
