To rephrase a line from the lyrics of US rap icon and business mogul, Jay Z, Novak Djokovic may not have 99 problems, but Jannik Sinner seems to be one, at least for now.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was denied a 100th title of his stellar tennis career by the impressive Italian world number one who won the Shangai Masters final on Sunday.
The 23-year-old reigning Australian and French Open champion claimed a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory over the 37-year-old Serb.
It is the third time consecutively that Sinner has now beaten Djokovic.
Djokovic, whose only title this year was the once elusive Olympic gold, was aiming to become only the third man – after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) – to win 100 or more titles, the BBC reports.
“I have got to keep striving to make it happen somewhere in the near future. It’s not a live-or-die type of goal for me, I think I’ve achieved all of my biggest goals in career.”
“Right now, it’s really about Slams and about seeing how far I can kind of push the bar for myself,” the Serb added. Sinner, who has won 65 of his 71 matches in 2024, may have something to say about that.
Djokovic’s 99 singles titles include 24 grand slams, 40 Masters, and an Olympic gold medal.