Tennis News Today: Aryna Sabalenka kisses boyfriend Georgios Frangulis to celebrate Wuhan Open win; Novak Djokovic & Jannik Sinner gush over Roger Federer's presence during Shanghai Masters final
Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Georgios Frangulis celebrated the former's Wuhan Open title win by showering her with kisses. Meanwhile, Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz stole the spotlight with their presence at the Shanghai Masters final. Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner both paid tributes to Federer and Alcaraz after their clash in Shanghai.
In other news, Nick Kyrgios gave a three-word reply regarding Jannik Sinner's doping controversy. Additionally, Novak Djokovic discussed his plans for the rest of the season after his Shanghai Masters outing.
On that note, here are today's top tennis news:
Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend kissed the Belarussian to celebrate her Wuhan success
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka defended her Wuhan Open title by beating Zheng Qinwen in the final. The Belarussian star was showered with kisses from her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis after the match.
Sabalenka won her second WTA 1000 title of 2024 following her Cincinnati Open win. The Belarussian is one of the most in-form players in the world, having won the US Open, and continued her good form into the Asian swing.
Sabalenka's boyfriend Georgios Frangulis was present with her in Wuhan throughout the tournament and the World No. 2 rushed towards him after her win in the final. The duo exchanged kisses celebrating Sabalenka's triumph in front of the cheerful Chinese crowd.
After her Wuhan Open win, Sabalenka will play at the WTA Finals in Riyadh hoping to end the season as the year-end No. 1.
Read more: WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Georgios Frangulis showers her with a torrent of kisses after Belarusian's Wuhan Open 2024 win
Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz steal the show with their presence at the Shanghai Masters final
The Shanghai Masters final had some star-studded guests in the crowd. Roger Federer, Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero were among the attendees watching Djokovic and Sinner go head-to-head.
Federer and Alcaraz were seen chatting together while witnessing Sinner's dominant display over Djokovic. The duo were seated together throughout the match and were often seen conversing with one another.
Both Sinner and Djokovic paid tribute to the star-studded guests during the presentation ceremony.
Read more: Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz steal the spotlight as Jannik Sinner defeats Novak Djokovic in Shanghai Masters 2024 final
Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner pay 'homage' to Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz
Both the Shanghai Masters finalists, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic paid their honors to Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz who were in attendance for the final.
Djokovic joked with Federer that he felt the pressure of performing in front of him for the first time before claiming that he wished that the Swiss star was still out on the courts playing.
“It's nice to see you 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 that I’m playing in front of you, so I had an added pressure. It’s great. Carlos as well. Juan Carlos as well. Thank you for coming out and being a part of this match,” Djokovic said.
Similarly, Jannik Sinner too appreciated Federer and Alcaraz's presence during the final. The Italian hailed them as 'legends' and admitted that he was playing the final against a legend, referring to Djokovic.
"You know, seeing there are three legends, and I played against another, so you know I see legends everywhere. I just try to keep up a little bit," Sinner added.
Read more: "I wish you were here with us" - Novak Djokovic & Jannik Sinner pay their honors to 'legends' Roger Federer & Carlos Alcaraz in Shanghai Masters final
Nick Kyrgios continues his criticism of Jannik Sinner amid doping controversy
Nick Kyrgios gave a cryptic three-world reply while discussing Jannik Sinner's Shanghai Masters win. The Australian star took to his social media account to let his feelings known after the Italian's success.
After Sinner's title win at the Shanghai Masters, a fan on Twitter suggested that he should not be allowed to compete on court given his doping controversy. Kyrgios was quick to agree with sentiments, claiming it was ridiculous to allow the Italian to continue playing professional tennis.
"Every player beaten by Jannik Sinner must be thinking by the same thing. This f****r shouldn’t even be on the court right now." a fan tweeted
"Yep. Ridiculous lol," Kyrgios' reply to the fan
Nick Kyrgios has been consistent in his criticism of Sinner and has taken several digs at the Italian in the last few months.
Read more: Nick Kyrgios reacts with harsh 3-word message on Jannik Sinner as Italian, amid doping row, beats Novak Djokovic to win Shanghai Masters
Novak Djokovic discusses his plan for the rest of the season after Shanghai Masters
Novak Djokovic gave an insight into his plans for the rest of the season after his final defeat at the Shanghai Masters. The Serbian star had already claimed that he would pick and choose the tournaments to compete in, with the Grand Slam and Davis Cup his priority.
Djokovic admitted that he was uncertain about the rest of the season and planned on heading back home to his family. The 37-year-old is set to compete at the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia next week before heading home to Serbia to spend time with his family.
"The plan is to go home, I mean, actually, Saudi, Six Kings Slam is happening next week, so I'm playing that, then I'll see where I play next," Novak Djokovic said.
After his run to the final at the Shanghai Masters, Djokovic is all but certain about a place at the ATP Finals in Turin. The Serbian could be in action at the ATP Finals next after competing in the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
Read more: Novak Djokovic gives update on plans for remainder of 2024 season after Shanghai Masters final loss