Jannik Sinner has just secured the year-end world number one ranking by beating Czech 30th seed Tomas Machac 6-4 7-5 in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Saturday as he became the first Italian to reach the tournament's showpiece match.
Machac started the match well by winning the first two games before Sinner took over, and the top-seeded Italian ended a hard-fought first set in 44 minutes after errors from Machac's racket.
Machac, however, made the two times Grand Slam champion to work hard , even more so in the second set, but Sinner proved too solid for his fellow 23-year-old as he sealed his 64th win of the year while making just nine unforced errors.
Sinner is set to take on Novak Djokovic, who has been crowned a 24-time major winner, he also defeated American seventh-seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 in the second semifinal on Saturday.
The 23-year-old dominant season has seen him win his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open and another at the US Open. However, he is the first Italian to finish the year as world number one.
Sinner speaking in a post-game Interview, said: "It's amazing. It's something you dream of when you're a kid when you're young. Just to reach the number one spot, now but to have the year-end... it's also a different and special feeling."
"But this happened during the tournament. So I'm not even thinking about that. I know tomorrow will be an important day... But it means so much to me obviously.
"This is something I could not accomplish without the people and family and friends I have. Credit to my team," Sinner added.
While, Machac, who won the mixed doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics, on Thursday ended four-times Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz's 12-match winning streak to reach the last four.
Sinner acknowledging his opponent’s strength after the game, said:"I think we all saw how much talent and firepower he (Machac) has."
"I had to be very, very careful in every service game. He's returning very aggressively and very fast.
"I just tried to stay there every point, trying to see what's going to happen... playing every point at the maximum intensity I could. I'm very happy about that. Happy to be back in a final again."
Tennis TV also took to their official X account @TennisTV on Saturday at 11:29am to celebrate Sinner on his recent victory.
"Unstoppable. World number one @janniksin secures a spot in the final with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Machac," the post read.
Meanwhile, the Italian sportsman Sinner may likely win his seventh trophy of the year on Sunday.
