Jannik Sinner has claimed his 21st career title at the China Open, defeating Learner Tien with a convincing score of 6-2, 6-2. This victory marks Sinner’s third title in 2025, having previously triumphed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year. With this latest win, the Italian’s impressive season record now stands at 42-5, giving him a remarkable winning percentage of 89%.
Sinner’s performance this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. He has reached the final in seven of the eight tournaments he has entered, including all four Grand Slam events. Notably, he has dominated on hard courts, winning 79 of his last 80 matches against players other than ATP No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Since November 2023, Sinner’s only loss on this preferred surface was to Andrey Rublev at the Canada Masters.
Rivalry with Alcaraz and Competitive Edge
The competition between Sinner and Alcaraz has been a focal point of the ATP tour, as both players continue to outperform their peers. Just a day before Sinner’s victory, Alcaraz secured his eighth title of the season by defeating Taylor Fritz in Tokyo. Following his defeat at the US Open, which resulted in Sinner losing the No. 1 ranking he held since June 2024, the 24-year-old expressed his intention to become more unpredictable in his gameplay against rivals. This strategy may lead to early setbacks, but Sinner has already begun implementing changes, particularly through the use of more drop shots.
Despite not being as dominant as in past tournaments, Sinner managed to overpower his opponents throughout the week, dropping sets to Terence Atmane and Alex de Minaur but still emerging victorious.
Looking Ahead to Shanghai Masters
As the ATP tour progresses, players face a grueling schedule. Sinner will advance to the Shanghai Masters, the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event, where he will enjoy a first-round bye. In contrast, Alcaraz will not compete in China after withdrawing shortly after his Tokyo win to manage an ankle injury.
Adding to the week’s news, veteran player Gael Monfils has announced his retirement plans, stating he will conclude his career after the 2026 season. Monfils, who made headlines as the oldest ATP champion in history earlier this year, has had a celebrated 21-year career. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 in 2016 and has secured 13 titles throughout his journey in professional tennis.
Sinner’s remarkable consistency and evolving strategy position him as a formidable contender as the season unfolds, and fans will be eager to see how he performs in Shanghai against the backdrop of an intense competition.
