World no. 1 Jannik Sinner will compete in his sixth Masters 1000 final in Shanghai. The world's best player faced Tomas Machac in the semi-final and prevailed 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and 43 minutes, notching his 22nd ATP final at 23.
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Machac toppled world no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final but could not produce another stunner, wasting the advantage in the opening set and missing break chances at 4-4 in the second. Jannik fired ten aces and saved two of three break points, mounting the pressure on the other side.
Tomas dropped 41% of the points in his games and suffered three breaks from seven chances offered to his opponent, ending his run in the quarter-final. Sinner tamed his strokes nicely and landed 27 winners and nine unforced errors.
Machac added 25 direct points to his tally while spraying 33 mistakes. They had the same number of service winners, and the Italian took charge from the baseline, not rushing forward and outplaying his rival with rock-solid hitting from both wings.
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Jannik Sinner defeated Tomas Machac in straight sets in Shanghai.
Jannik had the upper hand in the shortest and most advanced rallies, delivering another rock-solid performance and moving into the title clash.
Machac drew Sinner's mistake in the first game of the encounter, generating a break point and converting it after a sharp return and an error from world no. 1 for an early advantage. The Italian held at love in the third game and cracked a backhand down the line winner in the next one, pulling the break back and locking the result at 2-2.
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Tomas survived two break points in the sixth game, staying on the positive side. Jannik survived deuces in the seventh game and held at love two games later with a backhand down the line winner for a 5-4 advantage. The Czech served to stay in the set in game ten and sprayed a forehand error, offering his opponent a set point.
Sinner caused the rival's volley error, securing a break and claiming the opener 6-4 in 44 minutes.
They served well in the first eight games of the second set, with a couple of deuces on both sides but no break points.
Sinner faced the ultimate challenge in the ninth game despite leading 40-15. Machac cracked a backhand winner for a break point, squandering it after a forced backhand mistake. Tomas attacked and generated the second break point with a volley winner at the net.
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World no. 1 denied it with a forehand down the line winner and held for a 5-4 advantage. They served well in games ten and 11, and the young Czech needed another fine hold at 5-6 to introduce a tie break. Instead, he sprayed errors at 30-0 and offered the Italian a match point. Jannik attacked and moved over the top with a smash winner, booking a place in his sixth Masters 1000 final.
