In the hours after Jannik Sinner's triumph at the Australian Open, the Italian was still processing his life-changing success while speaking to the media. Most players in his position might have just taken a second to relax and enjoy the moment, but even with the trophy still in his hands, Sinner was already thinking about the future: “I know I have to work even harder “Because the opponents will find a way to beat me and I have to be prepared,” he said.
So it's no surprise that Sinner has used his first major title as a springboard to greater heights and continues to deliver amazing, consistent performance. Sinner capped his flawless early hardcourt season by completely outplaying No. 11 seed Grigor Dimitrov, winning 6-3, 6-1 and securing his second Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open.
Three months into the season, with the first hard court period completed, Sinner is ranked No. 1 in the ATP race and will rise to a new career high of No. 2 in the rankings. There is no doubt that the 22-year-old has been the best player in the world so far this year, and with Novak Djokovic now just 1015 points away and playing infrequently, he is closing in on the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
Since finishing last season by leading Italy to the Davis Cup title, Sinner has compiled a 25-1 record, with three titles plus the Davis Cup in that span, bringing his title tally to 13. Sinner's only loss of the season came after his big win against rival Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells two weeks ago, and he has shown his mental strength by recovering immediately to win another title.
When he emerged on the tour, Sinner quickly became known for his nuclear shots, but his serve, which once lagged behind the rest of his game, has improved dramatically and is now one of his best weapons. He finished the final with 88% of points won on his first serve and no breaks conceded.
quick start Guide
How do I sign up for breaking sports news alerts?
Show
- Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play Store on Android by searching “The Guardian.”
- If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you're using the latest version.
- In the Guardian app, tap the menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
- Enable sports notifications.
Thank you for your feedback.
Sinner has also developed into such a top athlete in recent years. Not only has he relentlessly broken through Dimitrov's defense with his pace and shot weight, but his mobility now makes it so difficult to consistently get the ball past him. Sinner was everywhere, picking off shots that gave Dimitrov finishing points in previous rounds, and he punished every average approach shot from Dimitrov by threading passing throws past him with ease.
This was also an incredible tournament for Dimitrov himself, who will be returning to the top 10 at 32 years old and playing some of the best tennis of his career. He handles the big moments better than in previous years. His excellent run to the final included three top-10 victories, dismantling world No. 2 Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, one of the best performances of his career.
Skip the newsletter advertising
The best of our sports journalism from the last seven days and a preview of the weekend's action
Data protection: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertisements and content sponsored by external parties. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter advertising
But right now Sinner is too complete, too confident, too tough and there is no one in the world right now who consistently meets the standards he sets every time he steps on the pitch.
Comments are closed.