Jannik Sinner’s season has been full of successes and has certified the quality leap he had already started at the end of last year. The Italian ace showed impressive consistency in 2024, securing a huge lead on second place in the ATP ranking. The world number 1 is almost certain to finish the season at the top of the ATP ranking, unless there are injuries or shocking surprises in the last tournaments of the year (played on his favorite surface).
The 23-year-old from San Candido won two Grand Slam titles in 2024 – the Australian Open and the US Open – showing a certain superiority towards opponents on the hard court. The Italian champion recently won the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and the US Open even without expressing his best tennis, making a difference in decisive moments thanks to his mental strength.
Jannik Sinner, US Open 2024© Stream screenshot
Jannik won six titles this season and the whole world saw his immense talent, combined with a style always sober off the tennis court. There was no lack of some difficult time in the year of Sinner. The two-time Grand Slam champion suffered a hip injury in the spring and ended up at the center of a doping case that generated several controversies.
Panichi joins the team
The Italian ace has been declared innocent by the ITIA, waiting to see if WADA will decide to appeal against the acquittal. Due to the doping case, Sinner was ‘forced’ to stop his collaboration with Umberto Ferrara and Giacomo Naldi. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, it would be almost official the entry into the team of Marco Panichi, former fitness coach of 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Jannik Sinner© @JannikSinner_Up X account
Despite the difficulties of recent months, Jannik has always remained mentally strong and won the US Open losing only two sets along his amazing run. In a long interview with SuperTennis after his triumph in New York, the World No.1 opened up on his recent difficulties: “Adversity has made me grow in many ways, you have to be prepared to go through certain moments. In my mind, I knew I was trained, had a good balance, but I also got nervous at certain times. On the tennis side, I felt I had improved, and even when things didn’t go perfectly, I was able to stick to my work and everything we’ve done.”
He continued: “The crowd’s affection makes me feel more at peace with myself, that’s for sure. I don’t play much in Italy, only at three major events – Rome, the ATP Finals, and the Davis Cup – but I’ve always felt the love of all the people watching matches on TV. There were also many of my fans at Arthur Ashe.”
The two-time Grand Slam champion will have to defend many points in the last part of this season. Last year, Jannik won the ATP 500 in Beijing and Vienna and reached the final at the ATP Finals in Turin. Sinner can still be comfortable, as his followers Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz are very far away in the ATP ranking.
The Italian ace is happy
Despite a few attacks in recent weeks, the Italian ace received general support from his colleagues after the doping case was reported. “The general reaction of the players was quite positive, even when things came out,” the 23-year-old stated. “Then there have been, of course, some different voices, but this is in everything. This is not only in tennis. This is in other sports and different jobs also. You can’t really do anything about that. That’s why you have the people close to you, these are the people who knows what was going on and what I and my team went through because it was not only me; it was the whole situation. I just can talk from my side and from my team’s perspective, and we are all very proud of this achievement” – he added.
Jannik Sinner, US Open 2024© Stream screenshot
Sinner will be skipping the Davis Cup this week to regain his energy after winning at Flushing Meadows, according to Italy captain Filippo Volandri. The world number 1 should be in Bologna on Sunday to cheer for his compatriots, but it is not yet certain whether or not he will be there.
Jannik led Italy to a Davis Cup triumph last year, when he canceled three consecutive match points from the legendary Nole Djokovic in one of the most epic matches of recent years. That victory was decisive for the trophy and it brought Sinner to the top in the following months. If Italy qualifies, Jannik should be in Malaga in November for the Davis Cup Finals.