Djokovic and Sinner reach Shanghai Masters final. Sabalenka rallies over Gauff at Wuhan

SHANGHAI (AP) — Novak Djokovic overcame physical discomfort to beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 (6) and move closer to a 100th career title and a record-extending fifth at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday.

By also reaching the final, top-ranked Jannik Sinner ensured he will be the ATP year-end No. 1 and the first Italian to achieve that feat.

“(I've won) many titles, had great battles and great performances," the 37-year-old Djokovic said. “I did come here definitely with a vision and a desire to get to the final and fight for a 100th title. I get that chance against the best player in the world, and let’s see what happens.”

Fellow great Roger Federer has 103 titles and Jimmy Connors leads men with 109 in the Open era.

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner will chase his seventh ATP title of the year after beating Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5.

Djokovic improved to 10-0 in career matches against Fritz, who blew a 5-3 lead in the second-set tiebreaker and a set point at 6-5 up.

Djokovic was clearly struggling for mobility and balance with his left knee heavily strapped.

“It always takes it out of me, these kinds of battles, but particularly towards the end of the tournament,” Djokovic said. “At this stage of my career, I’m doing my best to recover and I had some issues here and there on the court, physically."

But U.S. Open runner-up Fritz could not take advantage.

He lost a long rally at 6-6 and succumbed on the first match point when Djokovic stabbed a volley at the net and the American flicked it just long at full stretch.

Djokovic leads 4-3 overall against Sinner, who has won the last two — including in the Australian Open semifinals.

Earlier, Sinner weathered a nearly two-hour baseline storm from No. 33-ranked Machac, who beat No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

The Italian has a shot at his third Masters title in 2024 following victories in Miami and Cincinnati, to go with his wins at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

“I just tried to stay there every point, to see what was going to happen," Sinner said. "Just playing every point with the maximum intensity I could, so I’m very happy about that. I’m happy to be back in a final again.

"I’m just looking forward to (the final), to try to find a solution somehow ... and hopefully it’s going to win the match.”

Sinner fired 10 aces and 28 winners, against only seven unforced errors, in a characteristically efficient performance for his 64th match win this year.

Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a slow start to beat an in-form Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals to advance to her third straight Wuhan final and preserve her perfect record at the tournament.

Sabalenka will face seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen in the final. The Paris Olympics champion beat No. 51-ranked Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka will be bidding for her fourth title of the season, which includes the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

The Belarussian's 16th straight victory at Wuhan ended Gauff's own recent win streak at nine, including the China Open title last week. But it looked anything but certain for Sabalenka as she crashed 6-1 in the opening set.

"In the first set she was just crushing it,” Sabalenka said. “Whatever she was doing, everything was flying in. Everything was so aggressive. I didn’t have much opportunities.”

In a fight between the last two U.S. Open champions, Gauff led by a break early in the second but Sabalenka responded to pull level at 4-4 and saved a break point on serve to take a 5-4 lead.

Serving to stay in the set, Gauff was broken as Sabalenka hit a lunging forehand volley to force a deciding set.

The Belarussian carried her momentum into the third, extending her streak to seven games for a 3-0 lead. Gauff fought back to level at 4-4, but Sabalenka held strong to halt Gauff’s run.

Sabalenka broke once more after Gauff hit her season-worst 21st double fault on match point, ending the 2 1/2-hour match.

“I know what she’s going through. This is really difficult,” said Sabalenka, who had issues on her serve in the past. "But I know that if she’ll be able to overcome this serve situation, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be one of the greatest players.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy, right, hugs with Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic after winning in their men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy, right, shakes hands with Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic after winning in their men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic waves to the spectators as he leaves the court after defeated by Jannik Sinner of Italy in their men's singles semifinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts during the men's singles semifinals match against Machac of the Czech Republic in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a backhand return against Machac of the Czech Republic during the men's singles semifinals match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a backhand return against Machac of the Czech Republic during the men's singles semifinals match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a backhand return against Machac of the Czech Republic during the men's singles semifinals match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts during the men's singles semifinals match against Machac of the Czech Republic in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's leader said Saturday that he plans to temporarily suspend the right to asylum as part of a new migration policy, pointing to its alleged abuse by eastern neighbor Belarus and Russia.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that “the state must regain 100% of the control over who enters and leaves Poland,” and that a territorial suspension of the right to asylum will be part of a strategy that will be presented to a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Polish news agency PAP reported.

He didn't give details, but said at a convention of his Civic Coalition that “we will reduce illegal migration in Poland to a minimum."

Poland has struggled with migration pressures on its border with Belarus since 2021. Successive Polish governments have accused Belarus and Russia of luring migrants from the Middle East and Africa there to destabilize the West.

Tusk pointed to alleged misuse of the right to asylum “by (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko, by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, by smugglers, human smugglers, human traffickers. How this right to asylum is used is in exact contradiction to the idea of the right to asylum."

He said that he would demand recognition of the decision on the right to asylum from the European Union, PAP reported.

Tusk's comments came after Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said on Thursday that Poland will tighten its visa regulations, stepping up the vetting of applicants. That decision follows an investigation into a cash-for-visas scandal under the country's previous government.

Follow AP’s coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk pauses as he speaks, during a news conference following his meeting with Lithuania's Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte at the government's headquarters in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File)