Jannik Sinner’s title defense at the Shanghai Masters ended on Sunday night when he retired with cramps in the deciding set of his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor.
Griekspoor led 6-7(3), 7-5, 3-2 when the world No. 2 stopped in humid conditions. Sinner had shown discomfort late in the second set, rushing for ice towels before the third. He limped between points, repeatedly massaged his right thigh, and propped his legs on the bench at the 2-1 changeover in an effort to fight off cramp. He eventually retired and was helped off the court. The match had lasted two hours and 36 minutes.
Physical Demands of the Match
The contest was physically demanding throughout. Sinner edged the first-set tie-break, but Griekspoor turned the second set after saving three break points at 3-4, 0/40, then pushed the match into a decider. The Dutchman, ranked No. 31, acknowledged the difficult conditions and expressed sympathy for his opponent.
With the win, Griekspoor becomes the first Dutchman to reach the fourth round in the history of the Shanghai tournament. He will face qualifier Valentin Vacherot, who advanced after Tomas Machac retired while trailing 6-0, 3-1.
Sinner’s early exit deals a blow to his chase for the year-end No. 1. He remains 2,540 points behind Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP Live Race to Turin. This unexpected retirement not only impacts his current standing but also raises questions about his physical readiness for upcoming tournaments. As he aims to recover quickly, fans will be looking forward to his return to form and competitiveness on the ATP circuit.