Under the suffocating humidity of a late-night Shanghai evening, Tallon Griekspoor battled through brutal conditions and an elite opponent before Jannik Sinner’s retirement brought an unexpected close to their gripping contest. The Dutchman led 6-7(3), 7-5, 3-2 when the world No. 2 was forced to stop, marking a bittersweet victory for Griekspoor and a shocking early exit for the Italian favourite.

“Yeah, not the way you want to win,” Griekspoor admitted moments after midnight, drenched in sweat but smiling with quiet pride. “Especially after what I think were two very good sets from both of us.” It was a fight defined by intensity rather than dominance — both players trading service holds and testing each other’s limits under oppressive humidity that made even the simplest rallies a test

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