Novak Djokovic reaches the Shanghai final, now just one win away from his 100th career title

Novak Djokovic is in the final of the Shanghai Masters and is one win away from his 100th career title.

With his 6:4, 7:6(6) victory over US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, the 37-year-old Serb moved into the final against world number 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Sinner previously defeated Tomas Machac 6:4, 7:5.

Djokovic improved to 10-0 against Fritz.

Djokovic is 4-3 against Sinner, but Sinner has won three of the last four, including a win in the Australian Open semifinals that ended Djokovic's 33-game winning streak Down Under.

With a win over Sinner, Djokovic would win his 100th career title. Only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) have surpassed the 100 title plateau.

Djokovic continues to attack the record books even as his long-time rival Rafael Nadal announced this week he will retire from next month's Davis Cup final in Spain.

Djokovic, playing his first tournament in China since 2019, is aiming for a record-equalling fifth Shanghai Masters title, having won in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018.

The Serb has won a total of 11 titles in China, including six at the China Open in Beijing, while he won his first ATP Finals title in Shanghai in 2008. Djokovic also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Since Fritz was ahead 6-5 in the second set, Djokovic took a medical time out to have the trainer work on his left hip area.

He then fell behind 0-30 on his serve, but won four points in a row and forced the tiebreak.

Djokovic fell behind 2-4 on the break when he hit a forehand wide.

With his serve at 5-5, Djokovic sailed a forehand wide to give Fritz a set point with his serve. But the American sailed a forehand deep and made it 6-all.

During a long rally to the next point, Fritz had a chance for an overhead putaway, but Djokovic pulled him back into play and Fritz then made a forehand error that gave Djokovic match point at 7-6.

On match point, Fritz hit a long forehand lob and the two men hugged at the net.

GAUFF DOUBLE MISTAKE IN THE MATCH AGAINST SABALENKA

World number 2 Aryna Sabalenka recovered from a 1-6, 2-4 deficit to beat Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the final in Wuhan.

Gauff, who won last week at the China Open, committed a total of 21 double faults this season, including one on match point. The loss ended a nine-game winning streak for the American.

“I played that game and I was like, well, girl, I feel you,” Sabalenka said, referring to her own serving problems two seasons ago. “I feel like you’re like no one else. I know what she's going through. This is really difficult. This is really hard. But I know that if she can overcome this serve situation, she will already be one of the best players, but I am pretty sure that she will be one of the greatest players.”

“I just tried to put as much pressure on her as possible to make her go even crazier on her serve.”

Sabalenka, a two-time defending champion, improved to 16-0 in Wuhan since her debut in 2018.

On Sunday, Sabalenka wants to win her fourth WTA title of the season and 17th overall. After winning the Australian Open in January, Sabalenka has been on a hot streak since the start of the Cincinnati Open in August. She has won 19 of her last 20 matches and reached the final or better in three of her last four tournaments, including wins in Cincinnati and the US Open. A win in Wuhan would give her two WTA 1000 titles in a single season for the first time in her career.

Sabalenka will face either No. 7 Zheng Qinwen or No. 51 Wang Xinyu in the final.