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In a dramatic third-round match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, the Italian star was forced to retire against the 27th seed after experiencing severe cramps in humid weather.

Their battle concluded with the world No. 2 trailing his Dutch opponent 7-6(3), 5-7, 2-3 as the Italian succumbed to physical issues.

Harsh Environment Take Their Toll in China

Throughout the final weeks of a extended and arduous tour, playing environments in the Chinese city have been particularly severe, with competitors confronting extreme mugginess on Sunday.

Numerous athletes struggled badly under these challenging situations, even those set for the evening matches.

In Sinner's case, being placed in the evening provided minimal respite against a tenacious Griekspoor, who dragged the contest into a deciding set.

During the final set, Sinner had clearly declined physically, limping and cramping badly before taking the choice to withdraw.

Griekspoor's Reaction to the Surprising Victory

This is certainly not the way you want to win,” commented the Dutchman. “Extreme circumstances here in Shanghai all week already. I thought we were still a little bit lucky to play in the night without direct sunlight, but two hours, 36 minutes on the clock, halfway of the final set. Sorry for him, I hope for his quick recovery.”

Impact on the Competition

The world No. 1 had pulled out from the tournament prior to the competition due to an foot issue suffered during his championship campaign in Japan earlier this week.

The Italian's withdrawal now presents a major chance for the other competitors, including the Serbian star, who advanced to the fourth round with a hard-fought three-set victory over Yannick Hanfmann.

Rising Star’s Success in China

Elsewhere, Amanda Anisimova carried on her remarkable breakthrough season by capturing the biggest title of her professional journey at the China Open.

The young star defeated her Czech rival 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 to secure the title.

Anisimova has now won two premier-level tournaments this season—at the China Open and Qatar Open—while also reaching two major finals at Wimbledon and the Flushing Meadows.

After being positioned as far down as 41st in February, she now stands at fourth in the women's tour standings and third in the WTA race.

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

Triumphing Over Obstacles

Her progress over the past nine days has been particularly gratifying considering she underwent dental surgery on the same day she traveled to China.

“It’s been a challenging period for me here, for sure,” she admitted. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself. I think I can take a lot of positives and look at it as a lot of progress for me just figuring out ways to face difficult situations and challenge myself in moments when it feels like I can’t go any forward. I feel like in that regard I learned that I’m stronger than I think. That’s a huge win for me.”