<figure id="attachment_3153460" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3153460" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3153460 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/88c230ba-jannik-sinner-08092025.webp" alt="Jannik Sinner’s first opponent at the Shanghai Masters will be 49th-ranked Daniel Altmaier. (AP pic)" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3153460" class="wp-caption-text">Jannik Sinner’s first opponent at the Shanghai Masters will be 49th-ranked Daniel Altmaier. (AP pic)</figcaption></figure>
SHANGHAI: World number two Jannik Sinner said Thursday he anticipates &#8220;a very, very difficult and tough challenge&#8221; as he prepares to defend his Shanghai Masters title, a day after winning the China Open.
The 24-year-old Italian dominated teenager Learner Tien to clinch his 21st ATP title in Beijing on Wednesday, before travelling down to Shanghai hours later.
&#8220;I have only one practice session to get ready, but let&#8217;s see,&#8221; Sinner said.
&#8220;It&#8217;s going to be a very, very difficult and tough challenge, especially the first (match)&#8230; you never know what&#8217;s going to happen.&#8221;
Germany&#8217;s 49th-ranked Daniel Altmaier is Sinner&#8217;s first opponent.
Last year Sinner beat Djokovic in the final, but the 38-year-old Serb is coming into the competition fresh after cutting back the number of tournaments he plays.
The amount of matches in the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s tennis calendar has been a major talking point in recent years.
World number one Alcaraz said Tuesday before pulling out of Shanghai that &#8220;they have to do something with the schedule&#8221;, echoing the sentiments of fellow major champions Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
Sinner said Thursday he didn&#8217;t &#8220;want to criticise anything&#8221;.
&#8220;Everyone thinks in different ways&#8230; I would say we can still choose as players,&#8221; he added.
&#8220;The schedule is what it is.&#8221;

MatchPoint Times

Sinner primed for ‘tough challenge’ of defending Shanghai title

With Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal, Jannik Sinner’s main rival at the ATP 1000 tournament is expected to be four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic.

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