There’s so much to say about Jannik Sinner of Italy that it would take pages and pages to recount his amazing ascent to the peak of the international rankings.
Get to know the incontrovertible World No. 1.
When he launched his pro career, no one would have predicted he’d annihilate the competition and climb to the top of an already congested hierarchy. When it came to the next generation, all eyes were on Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.
But Sinner destroyed all skepticism by expertly arranging his success.
Born in Innichen, in the largely German-speaking district of South Tyrol, within a stone’s throw from the Austrian border, he didn’t appear destined for a life in tennis. Still, the top junior skier who took home a national title in giant slalom eventually opted for the racquet sport and all the sacrifices it required.
At the age of 13, he left home to practice at Riccardo Piatti’s tennis centre in Bordighera, on the Italian Riviera. There, he gained his independence, learned to cook, and fought off loneliness by going hard in the gym and on the courts. There was no limit to his desire, and his efforts quickly started paying dividends.
In November 2019, after only a year on tour, he broke through at the prestigious ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan, where he absolutely demolished Alex de Minaur of Australia in the final to raise the championship trophy.
Unfailing effort
His exploit put many specialists in amazement, but Sinner still had a lot of work to do. His serve wasn’t the weapon it could be, his volleys were clunky and unoriginal, and his shape didn’t allow him to unleash enough striking power.
So he started to work. Long and ultra-focused training sessions boosted his serve, especially his second serve, made him a threat at the net, and gave him the muscle bulk he needed to unleash unreachable forehands and go one step closer to the Baywatch body of his dreams.
As luck would have it, this newly acquired arsenal underlined many of his underlying qualities: his unflappable serenity, his ability to recoup after an error, and his amazing resolve. Very few tennis players can tap into such an honed tennis IQ and the endurance to keep fighting until the very last point.
And there’s no clearer evidence of that than the final of the 2024 Australian Open. Despite being down two sets, he dug deep and demolished Daniil Medvedev.
Climb to the top
For Jannik, advancement has been swift and incremental, from No.10 to No.9, No.8, No.7, No.6., No.4. No.3., No.2 and No. 1, bypassing only the fifth step on the ATP ladder.
The Masters 1000 title he captured last summer at the National BanNo. 10k Open presented by Rogers in Toronto was the first in a string of spectacular wins.
At the end of the year, he toppled Novak Djokovic in the round-robin ATP Finals to book his ticket for the final (where the Djoker exacted revenge) and then opened off 2024 with his first Slam in Melbourne. He dominated at the Miami Masters 1000, ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam and Halle Open and became a national hero when he ousted Djokovic and led the Italian squad to the Davis Cup title.
On June 10, 2024, with a 42-4 record this season and 4 shiny new trophies in his trophy case in addition to the 10 he already had, Jannik Sinner was crowned World No. 1—a position he doesn’t intend to lose any time soon.
Tonsilitis knocked him out of the Paris Olympics, but he’s fully recovered and ready to defend his championship at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montréal, where’s he’s the top seed on a surface he shines on. Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi’s protégé is most obviously the one to watch.
