Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic: 2024 Shanghai Masters – Preview & Prediction

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will meet in a highly anticipated final at the 2024 Shanghai Masters.

At the end of the 2023 season and the start of 2024, it seemed that these two players would dominate the ATP Tour. Although that didn’t fully happen, they will now face off for the first time since January, reigniting a rivalry that excites tennis fans globally.

How They Reached the Final

Jannik Sinner’s Journey

Sinner’s path to the final saw him defeating:

• Taro Daniel
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry (losing one set)
• Ben Shelton
• Daniil Medvedev
• Tomas Machac

The Italian player dropped only one set, against Etcheverry, on his way to the Shanghai Masters final.

Novak Djokovic’s Journey

Djokovic, similarly, dropped just one set, which came in the quarterfinal against Jakub Mensik. His journey included wins over:

• Alex Michelsen
• Flavio Cobolli
• Roman Safiullin
• Taylor Fritz (semi-final)

The stage is set for an epic showdown between the reigning World No. 1 and the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Pre-Match Comments

Both players shared their thoughts ahead of the final:

Novak Djokovic:

“He’s in form the last 12 months, best player in the world, incredible tennis, just so consistent, and the player to beat, no doubt, particularly on hard court. He knows my game, I know his game. We haven’t played since Australia this year. Yeah, I’m hoping for the best, you know, it’s going to take my highest level to win.”

Jannik Sinner:

“We always had some very tough matches in the past. It’s going to be a very tough one; it’s one of the biggest challenges we have in our sport. So, you know, I’m happy that I can play against him in the final, it’s even more special, and then we see how it goes.”

Head-to-Head (H2H)

Djokovic leads their H2H 4-3, dominating the earlier stages of their encounters when he was closer to his peak, and Sinner was still young. Their previous meetings include:

• 2021 Monte Carlo: Djokovic won 6-4, 6-2.
• 2022 Wimbledon: Djokovic won 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
• 2023 Wimbledon: Djokovic won 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4).

However, Sinner turned the tide more recently:

• 2023 ATP Finals Group Stage: Sinner won 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2).
• 2023 Davis Cup Finals: Sinner won 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.
• 2024 Australian Open: Sinner won 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 to claim his first Grand Slam title.

Match Stats

Prediction

While Djokovic leads their H2H and has vast experience in big finals, Jannik Sinner is currently the more in-form player. Sinner’s recent victories over Djokovic show that he’s capable of outplaying the veteran. However, Djokovic’s ability to deliver in high-pressure matches, as seen in the 2024 Paris Olympics final against Carlos Alcaraz, should not be underestimated.

Prediction: Jannik Sinner to win in three sets.