Jannik Sinner Admits He Has an Eye on Breaking Novak Djokovic’s China Open Record in the Future

Jannik Sinner defeated Learner Tien to win his third title of the season at the China Open in Beijing.

Jannik Sinner Admits He Has an Eye on Breaking Novak Djokovic’s China Open Record in the Future

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic (via Wimbledon)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Jannik Sinner has stated that he hopes to break Novak Djokovic’s China Open title record in the future. The former World No.1 claimed his second ATP 500 title in Beijing after beating American sensation Learner Tien in the final. It was the Italian star’s third title of the season after having won two Grand Slams.

Sinner entered the China Open after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the US Open in September. The 24-year-old’s 65-week reign at the top of the ATP rankings came to an end after the four-set loss to the Spaniard. In Beijing, he didn’t display his best form in every match, but did well to grind out results.

He dropped his first set in the second round against Terence Atmane and then against Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals. Sinner faced Tien, who had enjoyed back-to-back retirements from the top 20 players, including Daniil Medvedev in the last four. The American teenager had no response to Sinner’s perfect performance on the court.

Sinner defeated Tien 6-2, 6-2 under the sunlight beaming down into the Beijing center court. He became the third man to have won the China Open more than once, joining Rafael Nadal and Djokovic in the elite list. However, Djokovic holds the record for the most titles won at the China Open, with six to his name.

During the post-match press conference at the China Open, he was asked if he had any intention of reaching Djokovic’s record. The World No.2 revealed that he’s not comparing himself with the Serbian legend, but looks forward to beating his record at the tournament in the future:

Novak is still here and showing some incredible tennis. So let’s see. But I’m not comparing myself. I’m here to play. I’m here to enjoy. I’m also happy that I can say that I won two times here. If it stays at two? If it’s more, I’m more happy? I don’t know if I’m more happy. I don’t know. I’m very happy that I can say I won here two times, then we see in the future.

Sinner will head to Shanghai for the ATP Masters 1000 tournament after the China Open final win. The 24-year-old is the defending champion of the tournament and the favorite to defend it due to the fact that Alcaraz has withdrawn from the tournament. The Spaniard pulled out of the event on Tuesday (September 30), just hours after beating Taylor Fritz to win his eighth title of the season.

Jannik Sinner says Novak Djokovic is “in a different league”

Novak Djokovic remains one of the greatest players to ever grace the tennis court. Despite the fact that he has not won a Grand Slam for two years, his 24 major titles make him the player with the most Slams in the men’s circuit and joint-highest with Margaret Court in tennis. Since 2024, he has had to struggle in the shadows of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

During the aforementioned press conference, Sinner revealed that Djokovic is in a different league compared to him. The World No.2 added that he’s just 24 and has a long way to go in his career before reaching the heights that Djokovic consistently attained for 15 years:

I always say comparing me to Novak, he’s in different league with everything he has achieved in his career. I’m just a normal 24-year-old who tries to play the best tennis possible. I know I’ve won some great titles in my young career, but let’s see how long I can hold it. What Novak, Rafa, and Roger did for 15-plus years was amazing.

Djokovic has returned to the ATP Tour after nearly a month of being away. The World No.5 is set to feature at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, a tournament he reached the final last season before losing to Sinner. He will open his campaign at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament against former US Open champion Marin Cilic.

Also Read: Coco Gauff Gives Insights Into Her Bust-Up With Belinda Bencic During Their High-Voltage China Open Clash