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During an intense Round of 32 match at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner was forced to retire versus the 27th seed after experiencing debilitating muscle cramps in muggy conditions.

The match ended with the world No. 2 trailing Griekspoor 6-7 (3), 7-5, 3-2 as he gave in to physical distress.

Brutal Conditions Take Their Toll in China

During the final weeks of a extended and grueling tour, conditions in the Chinese city have been particularly severe, with players facing 90% humidity on the weekend.

Numerous athletes faced significant difficulties in these challenging circumstances, including those scheduled for the night session.

In Sinner's case, being placed in the evening offered little relief from a tenacious Griekspoor, who dragged the match into a third set.

By the third set, Sinner had visibly deteriorated in fitness, limping and cramping severely before making the decision to withdraw.

Opponent's Response to the Unexpected Win

“This is definitely not the way you want to win,” commented the Dutchman. “Brutal 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. Sorry for him, I wish him speedy recovery.”

Impact on the Competition

The world No. 1 had withdrawn from Shanghai before the competition because of an ankle injury suffered during his championship campaign in Japan recently.

Sinner’s retirement offers a significant opportunity for the other competitors, including the Serbian star, who progressed to the fourth round with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over his German opponent.

Rising Star’s Success in Beijing

In other news, the American talent carried on her incredible breakthrough season by capturing the most significant trophy of her career at the Beijing tournament.

The young star overcame her Czech rival 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 to claim the title.

Anisimova has now won two WTA 1000 titles this year—at the Beijing event and Qatar Open—while also reaching two grand slam finals at the All England Club and the US Open.

Having been positioned as far down as 41st in February, she now sits at fourth in the WTA rankings and No. 3 in the WTA race.

Her performance has earned her a spot in the WTA Finals in Riyadh for the first time in her career.

Triumphing Over Obstacles

Anisimova's rise over the recent week has been especially gratifying given she had wisdom tooth surgery on the same day she flew to China.

“It’s been quite a few weeks for me here, for sure,” she admitted. “I believe like I’ve discovered a lot about myself. I think I can take a lot of positives and look at it as a lot of growth for me just figuring out ways to face difficult situations and challenge myself in times when it feels like I can’t go any further. I believe like in that regard I realized that I’m more resilient than I think. That’s a huge win for me.”