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During an intense Round of 32 match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, the Italian star was forced to retire against Tallon Griekspoor following experiencing debilitating muscle cramps in muggy weather.

The match concluded with Sinner trailing his Dutch opponent 7-6(3), 5-7, 2-3 when the Italian gave in to physical distress.

Brutal Conditions Cause Problems in Shanghai

Throughout the closing stages of a long and grueling tour, conditions in Shanghai have been particularly severe, with competitors confronting 90% humidity on Sunday.

Numerous athletes struggled badly in these challenging circumstances, even those set for the evening matches.

For Sinner, being placed in the night provided minimal respite against a determined Griekspoor, who dragged the match into a deciding set.

During the third set, Sinner had visibly deteriorated physically, limping and suffering cramps badly before making 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 evening without direct sunlight, but over two and a half hours on the clock, halfway of the third set. I feel for him, I hope for his speedy recovery.”

Tournament Implications

The world No. 1 had withdrawn from Shanghai prior to the competition due to an foot issue suffered during his title run in Tokyo earlier this week.

The Italian's withdrawal now presents a significant opportunity for the remaining field, including Novak Djokovic, who advanced to the fourth round with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over his German opponent.

Anisimova’s Breakthrough in China

In other news, Amanda Anisimova carried on her remarkable breakout year by winning the biggest title of her professional journey at the Beijing tournament.

The young star overcame her Czech rival in a three-set thriller to claim the championship.

She has now earned two premier-level tournaments this year—at the Beijing event and Doha competition—while also making two grand slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

After being ranked as low as No. 41 in winter, she now stands at No. 4 in the women's tour standings and third in the WTA race.

This has earned her a place in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia for the first time in her career.

Overcoming Challenges

Her progress over the past nine days has been particularly gratifying considering she had wisdom tooth surgery on the same day she flew to Beijing.

“It’s been quite a few weeks for me here, for sure,” she said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself. I think I can take a lot of positives and view it as a lot of progress for me just figuring out ways to handle difficult situations and push myself in times when it seems like I can’t go any forward. I believe like in that sense I realized that I’m more resilient than I think. This is a major achievement for me.”