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During an intense Round of 32 match at the Shanghai Masters, the Italian star was forced to retire against Tallon Griekspoor after experiencing debilitating muscle cramps in humid conditions.

The match ended with the world No. 2 behind his Dutch opponent 6-7 (3), 7-5, 3-2 when he succumbed to physical issues.

Harsh Environment Take Their Toll in Shanghai

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

Numerous athletes faced significant difficulties under these demanding circumstances, even those scheduled for the night session.

In Sinner's case, competing in the evening provided minimal respite from a tenacious opponent, who dragged the match into a deciding set.

By the final set, Sinner had clearly declined in fitness, limping and suffering cramps badly before taking the choice to withdraw.

Opponent's Response to the Surprising Victory

This is certainly not the way you want to win,” said the Dutchman. “Brutal conditions here in this city all week already. I believed we were still a somewhat lucky to play in the evening without sun, but two hours, 36 minutes on the clock, middle of the final set. I feel for him, I wish him speedy recovery.”

Impact on the Competition

Carlos Alcaraz had pulled out from the tournament prior to the competition due to an ankle injury suffered in his title run in Japan earlier this week.

Sinner’s retirement offers a significant opportunity for the other competitors, including Novak Djokovic, who advanced to the fourth round with a hard-fought three-set victory over Yannick Hanfmann.

Anisimova’s Breakthrough in China

In other news, the American talent continued her remarkable breakout year by winning the biggest title of her career at the China Open.

The young star defeated her Czech rival in a three-set thriller to secure the title.

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

After being positioned as far down as 41st in February, she now stands at fourth in the women's tour standings and No. 3 in the WTA race.

Her performance has earned her a spot in the year-end championships in Saudi Arabia for the first time in her career.

Overcoming Challenges

Anisimova's rise over the recent week has been especially satisfying given she had dental surgery on the day she flew to Beijing.

“It has been a challenging weeks for me here, for sure,” she said. “I believe like I’ve discovered a lot about myself. I think I can take a lot of good things and view it as a lot of growth for me just learning ways to handle difficult situations and challenge myself in times when it seems like I can’t go any further. I feel like in that sense I learned that I’m more resilient than I imagined. This is a huge win for me.”