Jannik Sinner Forced to Retire Due to Cramping, Granting Griekspoor Win at Shanghai Masters

In a dramatic third-round encounter at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner was forced to retire versus Tallon Griekspoor following suffering debilitating muscle cramps in humid conditions.

Their battle ended with Sinner behind Griekspoor 6-7 (3), 7-5, 3-2 as he gave in to physical issues.

Brutal Conditions Cause Problems in China

During the final weeks of a extended and grueling season, conditions in the Chinese city have been particularly severe, with players facing extreme mugginess on the weekend.

Numerous athletes struggled badly under these challenging situations, even those scheduled for the evening matches.

In Sinner's case, competing in the night provided minimal respite against a tenacious Griekspoor, who pushed the match into a third set.

During the third set, the Italian had clearly declined physically, limping and cramping severely before taking the choice to retire.

Griekspoor's Reaction to the Unexpected Win

This is certainly not the way you want to win,” commented the Dutchman. “Brutal circumstances here in Shanghai all week already. I thought we were still a somewhat fortunate to play in the night without direct sunlight, but two hours, 36 minutes on the clock, halfway of the final set. I feel for him, I wish him speedy recovery.”

Impact on the Competition

The world No. 1 had pulled out from the tournament prior to the competition due to an foot issue suffered during his championship campaign in Tokyo earlier this week.

Sinner’s retirement offers a significant opportunity for the remaining field, including Novak Djokovic, who progressed to the round of 16 with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over his German opponent.

Anisimova’s Breakthrough in Beijing

Elsewhere, the American talent carried on her incredible breakout year by capturing the most significant trophy of her career at the Beijing tournament.

She defeated her Czech rival in a three-set thriller to secure the championship.

Anisimova has now won two premier-level tournaments this season—at the Beijing event and Qatar Open—while also reaching two major finals at Wimbledon and the Flushing Meadows.

Having been ranked as far down as No. 41 in winter, she now sits at No. 4 in the women's tour standings and No. 3 in the WTA race.

This has secured her a place in the year-end championships in Riyadh for the maiden appearance in her professional life.

Overcoming Challenges

Her progress over the past nine days has been particularly satisfying considering she underwent dental surgery on the same day she traveled to Beijing.

“It has been a challenging period for me here, for sure,” she said. “I believe like I’ve learned a lot about myself. In my opinion I can take a lot of positives and look at it as a lot of growth for me just figuring out ways to handle certain challenges and challenge myself in moments when it seems like I can’t go any forward. I believe like in that sense I realized that I’m stronger than I think. That’s a major achievement for me.”