Jannik Sinner's Shanghai title defense ends in heartbreak; Cramps force World No.2 to retire from third round

After a promising start, Jannik Sinner's title defense ends in retirement against Griekspoor, highlighting the brutal conditions at the Shanghai Masters.

Jannik Sinner’s quest to defend his Shanghai Masters crown came to a heartbreaking conclusion on Sunday evening when the Italian was forced to retire during his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor. The world number 2 was trailing 6-7(3), 7-5, 3-2 when severe cramping in his right thigh forced him to stop. He required assistance to leave the court after 2 hours and 36 minutes of grueling tennis.

Jannik Sinner is helped by a medical trainer during his men's singles match against Tallon Griekspoor.(AFP)

Sinner appeared to struggle from late in the second set, rushing to place ice towels around his neck at the changeover before the start of the third. The cramping became so acute that the Italian could barely stand, forcing him to withdraw after suffering a break of serve in the deciding set.

What made the retirement particularly disheartening was the quality of tennis that preceded it. Sinner had won the first set tie break after furious competition with two consecutive breaks and a 4-0 lead, before Griekspoor fought back to dominate the eleventh game of the second set and win the match’s first break.

The conditions in Shanghai have been testing

The oppressive Shanghai humidity has emerged as the tournament’s biggest storyline, with multiple players struggling in conditions where the humidity has been hovering over 80 percent. Griekspoor himself acknowledged the difficulty, stating, “This is definitely not the way you want to win. Brutal conditions here in Shanghai all week already.”

Novak Djokovic also played in the same evening session and described the conditions as ‘brutal’ and was seen throwing up during a changeover in his own three-set battle against Yannick Hanfmann. The Serbian admitted he could not recall the last time he played in humid conditions like this, highlighting just how extreme the circumstances have been.

For Sinner, the timing could not have been worse - he arrived in Shanghai fresh off a dominant show in Beijing just days earlier, riding a wave of momentum that seemed destined to carry him to back-to-back Shanghai crowns. It marked Griekspoor’s first-ever win over Sinner, having previously pushed the Italian to the final set twice last season.

With Carlos Alcaraz having withdrawn earlier this week due to an ankle injury, Sinner’s exit means the door has opened for the rest of the pool. Djokovic, chasing a record-extending fifth Shanghai title, now becomes the overwhelming favourite in a draw that has lost both its top-ranked players. For Sinner, the focus shifts immediately to recovery and getting back on court as quickly as possible.