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During an intense Round of 32 encounter at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, the Italian star was compelled to withdraw against Tallon Griekspoor following suffering debilitating muscle cramps in muggy conditions.

Their battle ended with Sinner trailing his Dutch opponent 6-7 (3), 7-5, 3-2 when he succumbed to physical distress.

Brutal Conditions Take Their Toll in Shanghai

Throughout the final weeks of a extended and arduous tour, playing environments in Shanghai have been particularly severe, with competitors confronting 90% humidity on Sunday.

Many competitors struggled badly in these challenging situations, even those set for the evening matches.

In Sinner's case, being placed in the evening offered little relief against a determined Griekspoor, who dragged the match into a deciding set.

By the third set, the Italian had visibly deteriorated physically, hobbling and suffering cramps severely before taking the decision to retire.

Griekspoor's Reaction to the Unexpected Win

This is certainly not the way you want to win,” said Griekspoor. “Extreme circumstances here in Shanghai all week already. I thought we were still a somewhat lucky to play in the evening without direct sunlight, but two hours, 36 minutes on the clock, halfway of the third set. I feel for him, I hope for his speedy recovery.”

Impact on the Competition

The world No. 1 had pulled out from Shanghai before the competition due to an ankle injury sustained during his championship campaign in Japan earlier this week.

Sinner’s retirement offers a significant opportunity for the remaining field, such as the Serbian star, who advanced to the fourth round with a hard-fought three-set victory over his German opponent.

Rising Star’s Success in China

In other news, the American talent carried on her incredible breakthrough season by winning the biggest title of her career at the China Open.

She overcame her Czech rival 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 to secure the championship.

She has now earned two premier-level tournaments this season—at the China Open and Doha competition—while also making two major finals at Wimbledon and the Flushing Meadows.

After being positioned as far down as No. 41 in February, she now sits at fourth in the WTA rankings and third in the season-long race.

Her performance has secured her a place in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia for the first time in her career.

Triumphing Over Obstacles

Anisimova's rise over the past nine days has been especially satisfying considering she underwent wisdom tooth surgery on the day she traveled 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. In my opinion I can take a lot of good things and look at it as a lot of growth for me just figuring out ways to handle difficult situations and challenge myself in moments when it feels like I can’t go any further. I feel like in that sense I realized that I’m more resilient than I imagined. That’s a major achievement for me.”