Jannik Sinner was forced to retire from the Shanghai Masters after he was left unable to walk.
The Italian star had no option but to retire from his third-round encounter with Tallon Griekspoor whilst suffering from debilitating cramps.
The 24-year-old's withdrawal came during the third set after battling through increasingly severe physical difficulties. Despite attempts to continue, the reigning Wimbledon champion found himself unable to move properly around the court.
His exit from the tournament has shifted attention to Novak Djokovic as the primary contender for the title. The Serbian veteran secured his progression earlier on Sunday with a three-set victory over Yannick Hanfmann.
Jannik Sinner was left barely able to walk during the match
|SKY SPORTS
The match began promisingly for Sinner, though Griekspoor proved a challenging opponent from the outset. After being pushed to a tiebreak, the Italian secured the opening set.
The momentum shifted during the second set when Sinner sustained what appeared to be an injury while returning serve. Though he initially seemed to recover, his Dutch opponent capitalised on the situation to level the match.
The decisive third set saw Sinner's condition deteriorate significantly. Severe cramping left him bent double in pain on multiple occasions, struggling to move along the baseline.
His mobility became so compromised that Griekspoor could win points simply by returning serves. A physiotherapist provided a brief massage during a break, but regulations prevented a full medical timeout.
Upon attempting to stand from his chair, Sinner immediately experienced renewed cramping, ultimately forcing him to concede the match in distressing circumstances.
Griekspoor acknowledged the unfortunate nature of his victory in his post-match comments. "First of all, this is definitely not the way you want to win," the Dutchman stated. "Brutal conditions in Shanghai all week already."
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Jannik Sinner will not be able to defend his title
|SKY SPORTS
He expressed genuine concern for his opponent, adding: "Two hours and 35 minutes, in the middle of the third set, sorry for him and I wish him a speedy recovery."
The Dutch player praised Sinner's performance despite the circumstances. "I thought he played an unbelievable tiebreak and there was not much for me to do," Griekspoor noted, acknowledging that fortune played a role in his advancement.
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Djokovic's path to becoming the tournament's leading contender wasn't without its own challenges.
The 37-year-old overcame a difficult start against Hanfmann, eventually prevailing in three sets despite experiencing physical distress during the match.
The extreme conditions affected even the experienced Serbian, who was seen vomiting during a changeover.
He addressed the demanding circumstances afterwards, saying: "It's brutal when you have over 80 per cent humidity day after day for the guys."
Jannik Sinner has won four Grand Slams so far in his career
|PA
Djokovic particularly highlighted the daytime matches, noting: "Particularly when they are playing during the day with heat, with sun, it's even more brutal."
Victory in Shanghai would mark Djokovic's first tournament win since claiming the US Open title in 2023.
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