Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz steal the spotlight as Jannik Sinner defeats Novak Djokovic in Shanghai Masters 2024 final
Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz were spotted sitting together in the stands during the Shanghai Masters final, where Jannik Sinner triumphed over Novak Djokovic to secure his seventh title of the season. Federer sat between Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, engaging in conversation with them while enjoying the highly-anticipated match.
Djokovic was aiming to win his 100th tour-level title on Sunday, while Sinner sought to become the youngest winner in Shanghai. The match kicked off with both players displaying aggression.
Sinner claimed the first set in a tiebreak, improving his record to 24-8 in tiebreakers this year. He went on to win the second set more comfortably, sealing a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory.
Federer and Alcaraz, seated together, were seen chatting as they watched Sinner's dominant performance over Djokovic.
Alcaraz had been eliminated in the quarterfinals by Tomas Machac, who Sinner later defeated in the semifinals. Federer, fresh from playing an exhibition match in Shanghai, had shared a heartwarming moment with Djokovic earlier in the event.
Earning his seventh title of the season in Shanghai, Sinner has become the first man since Andy Murray in 2016 (9) to win more than six titles in a year.
Novak Djokovic acknowledges Roger Federer & Carlos Alcaraz's presence after Shanghai Masters final loss against Jannik Sinner
During the post-match interview, Novak Djokovic acknowledged the presence of his former rival Roger Federer in the stands along with Carlos Alcaraz and his coach.
“Also it’s nice to see Roger. I’m not used to seeing you in the stands. I wish you were here on court playing with us. It’s probably the first time I’m playing in front of you. It’s great, Carlos Alcaraz as well. Juan Carlos as well. Thank you for coming out and being a part of this match.”
Jannik Sinner and Djokovic are now tied 4-4 in their head-to-head record as the Italian has managed to win both their battles this year including the Australian Open semifinal.
The World No. 1 was all praise for his opponent during the post-match interview. Sinner said the Serb does not have any weaknesses and called him a legend of the sport.
“It’s tough to tell you a secret about [Djokovic] because he doesn’t have any weaknesses. You have to try and use the small chances that he gives you, but there are not many during the match. He is a legend of our sport, he’s very tough to play against, so I am very happy."
Several ATP 500 and ATP 250 events are scheduled in the coming weeks, with the final Masters 1000 event set to take place in Paris. Following that, the top eight players from the ATP Race to Turin will head to Italy to compete in the ATP Finals.
As of now, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Carlos Alcaraz have qualified for the Finals. Djokovic, currently placed sixth with 3,910 points after his runner-up finish in Shanghai, is in a good position to qualify.