Jannik Sinner will take the ATP throne from Novak Djokovic after Roland Garros
On Monday, the 22-year-old Jannik Sinner will become world no. 1, dethroning Novak Djokovic and standing as the first Italian on the ATP throne! Jannik has been a player to beat this season, winning 33 out of 35 matches and passing a 24-time Major champion following another deep run at Roland Garros.
Novak failed to defend his 2000 ATP points in Paris, withdrawing ahead of the quarter-final duel with Casper Ruud and allowing Jannik to pass him and write history books. Sinner is the 29th world no. 1 in ATP history and only the seventh since February 2004.
Sinner kicked off the 2023 season as world no. 15. He raised his level since Wimbledon and finished with 64 wins and 15 losses, lifting four trophies and securing Italy’s first Davis Cup crown since 1976! The Italian returned to the top-10 following the Miami Masters final, staying in the exclusive group ever since and passing one rival after another.
Sinner reached his first Wimbledon semi-final in July, falling to Novak Djokovic but gathering confidence. Jannik lifted the Canada Masters trophy before Alexander Zverev ousted him in the fourth round at the US Open.
Sinner embraced a 20-2 streak by the end of the season, lifting trophies in Beijing and Vienna and entering the ATP Finals in Turin as one of the favorites. Playing well in front of the home fans, Jannik notched his first victory over Novak, prevailing 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 in three hours and eight minutes in the round-robin stage.
They stayed neck and neck from start to finish on the fast indoor court, with Sinner losing serve once and breaking Djokovic two times. Jannik grabbed five straight points on the return at 5-5 in the opener, clinching a break and holding at love a few minutes later for 7-5 and a boost.
The second set had no break points, as they sent it into a tie break. Djokovic clinched it with a service winner and introduced a decider.
Jannik Sinner will become the 29th world no.
1 on Monday.
Jannik made a fresh start and grabbed a break in the sixth game, with Novak pulling it back in the next one for more drama. They arranged the second tie break, and Sinner grabbed it 7-2 with a smash winner, beating Djokovic for the first time.
They met again in the final, and Novak turned the tables with a 6-3, 6-3 victory, securing his seventh ATP Finals trophy. Six days later, Djokovic and Sinner embraced their third duel within a couple of weeks, battling in the Davis Cup semi-final.
Jannik saved three match points in a notable 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory, keeping Italy alive and leading it toward the title! The Italian used those two wins over world no. 1 nicely and prepared to ascend to the ATP throne in 2024!
Sinner claimed his first Major title at the Australian Open, dominating Djokovic in the semi-final and performing an incredible comeback against Daniil Medvedev in the title clash to earn a career-best title.
Jannik toppled Novak 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 in three hours and 22 minutes, ending the Serb’s streak of 33 straight wins in Melbourne and reaching his first Major final.
Sinner had the upper hand in every department, dominating the sets he won and leaving Djokovic without chances. Jannik faced no break points, which no one had achieved in completed matches at Majors against Novak before! The Serb made too many mistakes, feeling the constant pressure and getting broken five times.
Djokovic defended a match point in the tie break of the third set but lost the ground again in the fourth, propelling Sinner into his first Major final. Jannik produced another incredible win in the final, ousting Daniil 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in three hours and 44 minutes after an incredible comeback.
Both players scored four breaks, and Sinner played better tennis from the third set, overcoming a slow start and lifting his first Major trophy at 22.
The Italian backed the Melbourne trophy with another in Rotterdam, reducing the gap to Djokovic and embracing a rock-solid American swing.
Jannik suffered his first loss of the season to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final in Indian Wells before claiming another notable title in Miami, adding 1000 ATP points to his tally and entering the top-2. Sinner fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Monte Carlo semi-final despite the advantage and withdrew ahead of the Madrid Masters quarter-final due to a hip issue.
Jannik skipped the Rome Masters to recover and made a right move, playing well in Paris and reaching the Roland Garros semi-final. Sinner ousted five rivals to extend his streak at Majors and advance into the last four. Also, he became world no.
1 following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, achieving another notable milestone at 22 and conquering the tennis world.