Aryna Sabalenka has set her sights on reclaiming the world number one spot and can close the gap on Iga Swiatek with a good run at the Wuhan Open, which is returning on Monday after a five-year absence.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz made short work of China's Shang Juncheng on Saturday, defeating him in straight sets to breeze through to the Shanghai Masters third round.

Sinner now has to turn his attention to the Shanghai Masters, where he could end up facing Alcaraz again.

The four-time Grand Slam champion from Spain edged a captivating final 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) for his fourth ATP crown of the year and 16th overall.

Jannik Sinner ignored the bubbling controversy over his steroid case and a roaring home crowd to set up a China Open final against Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had cleared the Italian of wrongdoing in August, and weeks later he won the US Open for his second major title.

Carlos Alcaraz welcomed the addition of Rafa Nadal to Spain's Davis Cup team for the quarter-finals in November and hoped the event in Malaga will not mark the end of the 22-times Grand Slam champion's career.

Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday that she wants to cap off a stellar year by returning to the top of the world rankings.

"I'm too far away from that level," he said. "I hope I'll reach it one day, but it's really impossible," said Alcaraz.

"It was a huge thing when I played him for the first time," said the world number three. "The other times for me were kind of a nightmare."

Tennis great Roger Federer said on Wednesday staying involved with the sport in retirement helped him avoid feeling "like an alien" ahead of this week's Laver Cup tournament in Berlin.

Sinner had explained that the slight traces of clostebol had originated from a spray used by a member of his staff to treat a cut finger.

Rafael Nadal will not compete at the Laver Cup next week in Berlin, said the 22-time Grand Slam champion in a statement released by tournament organisers on Thursday.

With Roger Federer retired and Rafael Nadal struggling to get back on court due to injuries, Novak Djokovic was the last man of that golden generation standing at Flushing Meadows, but the Serb crashed out in the third round to Australian Alexei Popyrin.

Jannik Sinner produced a brutal display of baseline power as he became the first Italian man to win the US. Open with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over American Taylor Fritz in the final on Sunday.

Jannik Sinner won his second Grand Slam title of 2024 on Sunday when he swept aside Taylor Fritz in the US Open final, shattering American hopes of a first male champion at the majors in 21 years.

"I'm speechless right now. So many times I thought I was so close to get the US Open title. It has always been a dream of mine and finally I got this beautiful trophy," said Sabalenka.

Frances Tiafoe blamed his heartbreaking five-set US Open semi-final defeat to Taylor Fritz on cramping after his "body shut down".

Taylor Fritz fought back to defeat compatriot Frances Tiafoe at the US Open on Friday, becoming the first American man to reach a Grand Slam final in 15 years.

Italian top seed Jannik Sinner took down ailing Briton Jack Draper 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to reach the US Open final on Friday, overcoming muggy conditions in a chaotic match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.