Sinner withdrew, becoming the former champion of the Shanghai Masters

Jannik Sinner was unable to retain his Shanghai Masters crown and is nearly guaranteed not to return to the top world ranking in 2025.

The reigning champion Jannik Sinner had to exit in the third round of the 2025 ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters after suffering cramps in the deciding set during his match against Tallon Griekspoor on the evening of October 5th, Vietnam time.

The world No. 2 started the match with some difficulty, requiring a tie-break in the first set, and later had a chance to close out the match in the second set but failed to capitalize, allowing Griekspoor to save a break point miraculously and then break the deciding game, winning 7-5 to push the match into the final set.

At that point, physical issues became more apparent for Sinner. He didn’t sit down during the changeover, hoping to avoid cramping. However, when trailing 2-3, Sinner had to call for medical treatment on his right thigh. After 2 hours and 35 minutes of play, the Italian player could not continue and was forced to retire, officially ending his reign as Shanghai Masters champion.

This victory brought joy to Griekspoor but also left some regrets. The Dutch player had faced Sinner six times before in his career and had always lost. This time, he secured his first win against the current Wimbledon champion, although the match was interrupted by his opponent’s injury.

"This definitely isn’t the way you want to win.", Griekspoor told ATP. "The weather conditions in Shanghai have been very harsh all week. We were somewhat lucky to play in the evening without sun, but the match still lasted over two and a half hours. I feel sorry for Sinner and wish him a speedy recovery."

This defeat nearly shatters Jannik Sinner’s chance to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking. For Griekspoor, the Dutchman advances to the round of 16, where he will face the sensation Valentin Vacherot.

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