Djokovic gunning for 100th career title as he takes on Sinner in Shanghai final

Serb Novak Djokovic, the No 4 seed, reached the final of the Shanghai Masters by winning against American Taylor Fritz, the No 7 seed, 6-4, 7-6 (6) at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center on Saturday.

Djokovic got the only break of the first set in the fifth game and held on to that to serve out the set 6-4. In the second, there were no service breaks with the set going into a tiebreak. Fritz led 5-3 in the tiebreak but the Serb saved a setpoint while trailing 6-5 before closing it out 8-6 for the win.

This was the Serb’s 10th win in as many matches over Fritz and the eighth in straight sets.

The Serb, a four-time champion here in Shanghai, will be gunning for his 100th career title on Sunday in his 59th ATP Masters Series final. It will also be the 141st ATP singles final of his career. It will also be his third final of the season – after Wimbledon and the Olympics – and he is looking to win his first ATP title of the year.

“It’s always special. In China, it feels like destiny to fight for a 100th title here in a place where I’ve had great success in the past, where I have tremendous support. And very grateful, especially tonight, the atmosphere was electric, people were really backing me all the way through. So, yeah, it’s great to play in such atmosphere, and just gets me going and motivates me to push even harder,” the 24-time Grand slam winner said after the win.

It feels like destiny to fight for a 100th title here in a place where I’ve had great success in the past, where I have tremendous support.

Novak Djokovic on reaching the Shanghai final

“I have to expect probably the toughest encounter of the tournament.”- Djokovic on Sinner clash

Djokovic, ranked No 4, will play Jannik Sinner, the top seed, next. He holds a 4-3 lead over the Italian but Sinner has won their last two clashes and the Serb knows he goes into the final as the underdog.

“I’m in a great position to win the title, you know, fighting for my 100th title overall, and 41st Masters, against the best player in the world. I won’t be a favorite on the court, but hopefully I’ll be able to come out physically fresh enough to challenge him for what may be the long match. I have to expect probably the toughest encounter of the tournament, and I have to be ready for it, so I look forward to a great challenge.”

The 37-year-old Serb defeated American Alex Michelsen (7-6 (3), 7-6 (9)), Italian Flavio Cobolli, the No 28 seed (6-1, 6-2), Russian Roman Safiullin (6-3, 6-2) and Jakub Mensik (6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4) ahead of his win today.

In the previous rounds of the tournament, Fritz, ranked No 7, won against French qualifier Terence Atmane (7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)), Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki (6-3, 6-4), Dane Holger Rune, the No 12 seed (6-1, 6-2) and Belgian David Goffin (6-3, 6-4).

Shanghai Masters 1000, other semi-final match (Qi Zhong Tennis Center, hard, USD 8,995,555):

• Jannik Sinner beat Tomas Machac (30): 6-4, 7-5

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