Djokovic sets up Shanghai final showdown with Sinner; Sabalenka rallies past Gauff

Novak Djokovic fought through a knee problem to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) in an “incredible fight” on Saturday, setting up a blockbuster Shanghai Masters final with world number one Jannik Sinner.

Earlier, the Italian beat Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5, ensuring in the process that he will finish the year at the top of the rankings.

Djokovic took a crucial fifth game break after an unforced error from Fritz to win the first set in 38 minutes.

But the second set lasted twice as long, and was a much more tense affair, as the players sent each other scrambling across the court in a series of thrilling rallies.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion called it an “incredible fight”.

“He could have easily won the second set... In the tiebreak it was really anyone’s game, (but) I feel like I was never giving up,” he said.

In the second set, after the almost 13-minute fifth game eventually held by Fritz, the Serb bent over in exhaustion, breathing heavily.

Fritz missed a chance to take control in the eighth game when he failed to convert a break point, with Djokovic fighting back to hold.

Djokovic, who has been wearing a brace on his right knee throughout the tournament, had to take a medical time-out to see to his left one after the eleventh game.

He continued to look uncomfortable through the tiebreak, skidding over at one point.

But he showed his fighting spirit, coming from 3-5 down to level, before a series of unforced errors on Fritz’ part led to him being crowned winner.

The 23-year-old Sinner has been top of the world rankings since June and after his ruthless semi-final victory will stay there until at least the end of the season, the first Italian to do so.

“It was only a dream just to become number one... Now finishing (the year there) is also a different feeling,” the Italian said.

“It’s a good feeling. I’m very happy to achieve this. It was an amazing season for me and it’s not finished yet,” he said, adding that for now he was “focused on tomorrow”.

Sinner’s meeting with Machac got off to an electric start when the Czech broke in the first game of their semi-final.

The 33rd-ranked Machac was looking to repeat his giant-slaying of Thursday, when he knocked out world number two Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.

But two-time Grand Slam champion Sinner kept his cool to break back in the fourth, then claimed the tenth game to clinch the set.

In the second set neither was able to break serve until the 12th game, when the Italian hit a winner to book his place in Sunday’s final.

“It was very tough... he is playing with so much confidence and he can hit a ball really hard, and is serving very well,” said Sinner.

Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday and reach the Wuhan Open final for the third time.

A champion in Wuhan in 2018 and 2019, Sabalenka improved her perfect record in the tournament to 16-0 and will next face Zheng Qinwen, who became the first Chinese player to reach a WTA 1000 final on home soil.

It will be a rematch of the Australian Open final, which Sabalenka won earlier this season.

In an all-Chinese affair, the fifth-seeded Zheng defeated Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4 to reach her fourth final of the season.

“I never imagined that my first WTA 1000 final would happen here in Wuhan,” said Olympic champion Zheng, who was born in the Hubei province and moved to Wuhan when she was a child.

“Today was a very tough match, Xinyu played really well. The crowd was very supportive and fair to both of us.”

Gauff, who was on a nine-match winning streak on the back of her title run in Beijing last week, played a perfect first set but committed a whopping 21 double-faults during a semi-final lasting two hours, 26 minutes.

Sabalenka has now won 19 of her last 20 matches, a stretch that includes titles in Cincinnati and at the US Open.

Agencies