Jannik Sinner’s career has changed a lot since last autumn. Since playing his first matches in the ATP tour, the Italian tennis player was considered a great prospect for the future but for several reasons (physical and technical) he had not yet expressed his full potential until 2023. After being defeated by Alexander Zverev in the round of 16 at the 2023 US Open, Jannik has done an outstanding job with his team that allowed him to make the leap.
The current world number 1 has won the ATP 500 in Beijing and Vienna last year, reached the final at the ATP Finals in Turin and dragged Italy to a historic triumph in the Davis Cup. The 23-year-old from San Candido confirmed his progress in 2024, where he won two Grand Slam titles (Australian Open and US Open) and raised four more trophies (including two Masters 1000).
The two-time Grand Slam champion has maintained an exceptional consistency throughout the season, which allowed him to build a huge gap compared to all his opponents in the ATP Race. After winning the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and especially the US Open, Sinner has almost guaranteed to close 2024 at the top of the ATP ranking.
Sinner’s data
The amazing level of the Italian ace is also certified by numbers, as well as titles won. The world’s number 1 is the only player in the Top 20 who is in the top 15 positions of the ranking for average speed of the forehand and backhand. Unlike other players who are capable of incredible power, Sinner also has a control that is out of the ordinary. Although he didn’t make his best tennis in the American tournaments, Jannik made a difference at important moments and won the last Major of the season losing only two sets along his run.
In a recent interview with Punto de Break, top coach Simone Vagnozzi discussed Sinner’s rise: “Not having any guilt and being aware of it was the most important aspect to overcome that long and complicated period. It has been a roller coaster of emotions, but the way he has dealt with it at 23 years old has been exceptional. He did not suffer too many attacks from his teammates. You cannot control people, you have to follow your own path. Everyone knows what a boy Jannik is and, in any case, it was enough to read the newspapers to understand what happened.”
A very high level
The two-time Grand Slam champion chose to skip the Davis Cup last weekend to recharge his batteries for the final part of the season. The US Open champion will be in Beijing and Shanghai, with his main focus being the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Sinner’s performance in the US Open final against Taylor Fritz also impressed former American ace Andy Roddick: “To hear Sinner talk about himself ‘I don’t volley that well’. All he talked about post-US Open was the process and how he can’t wait to get back to the process. That is intimidating in its own way. It seems like he is low stress.
I had never met Jannik Sinner before in my life. Like I don’t know a lot of the players because I’m not at all the tournaments. I said hello quickly and then got out of the way because my biggest fear ever is like being in someone’s way when they’re getting ready for a match or something. Even his celebrations aren’t like for anyone else, it’s like this relief like okay and you feel like he was ready to start again like an hour after the US Open, which is a problem for the rest of the earth.”
Fritz hoped to win his first Grand Slam title in New York and celebrate it in front of his fans, but he couldn’t do much against a decidedly stronger opponent in the final. Fritz – speaking in a podcast with Thompson, Isner and Querrey – spoke of how he digested the US Open final defeat and said he had not felt too strongly about taking the racket back in his hand over the ten days between the end of the US Open and the start of the Laver Cup.
To be honest – said Fritz – it was worse than I could imagine. I sit at my desk and play 12 hours a day. We can also say that I have not eaten at all in a healthy way in certain situations”, reflected the American player who was in connection from Berlin where he is currently engaged in the team World led by John McEnroe at the Laver Cup. Fritz will debut tonight in doubles with Ben Shelton and they will face Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
