Jannik Sinner achieved his inaugural Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open, dominating the tennis world at the age of 22. The Italian solidified his triumph with another impressive win in Rotterdam last week, extending his winning streak to 15 matches and ascending to the rank of world number 3. Gael Monfils faced off against Sinner in Rotterdam and commended the young prodigy, predicting a bright future for him with numerous Grand Slam titles. Sinner experienced a surge in the latter part of 2023, reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon and securing a Masters 1000 trophy in Toronto.
After the US Open, Sinner only suffered two defeats, triumphing in Beijing and Vienna and securing Italy’s first Davis Cup victory since 1976. Furthermore, he managed to defeat Novak Djokovic twice towards the end of the year, utilizing that momentum to kickstart his 2024 campaign. Sinner breezed through the quarter-finals of the Australian Open without dropping a set, overcoming three top-10 opponents in his path to the title. He first dispatched Karen Khachanov before eliminating another Russian, Andrey Rublev, setting up a semi-final clash with the ten-time champion Novak Djokovic.
This encounter marked their third meeting within a span of two months, and Sinner displayed unwavering composure en route to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 victory that lasted three hours and 22 minutes. With this triumph, Sinner dethroned Djokovic and advanced to his maiden Grand Slam final. From start to finish, Jannik showcased an exceptional level of play, coming close to sealing the match in the third set before regaining his momentum in the fourth. As a result, he became the first player to defeat Novak in Melbourne after the quarter-final stage.
Djokovic struggled to match the pace set by the young sensation, failing to create a single break point opportunity for the first time in his completed Grand Slam matches. The pressure weighed heavily on Novak’s game, leading to him facing 11 break points and ultimately being broken five times.
The Italian controlled his shots effectively, launching attacks and minimizing the number of mistakes. The Serb scattered over 50 errors, struggling to assert his shots and falling far behind his opponent in rallies of up to four strokes.
The young up-and-comer had a solid start, securing four breaks in the first two sets and leaving the world’s number one player far behind. With his back against the wall, Djokovic elevated his game after the initial shot in the third set, surviving an early scare and forcing a tiebreak.
Novak saved a match point and won the tiebreak 8-6, prolonging the battle and his chances of victory. Like a man on a mission, Jannik quickly put that setback behind him, serving well in the fourth set and putting pressure on Novak.
Sinner secured a crucial break in the fifth game, taking the lead and delivering a forehand winner down the line on serve at 5-3 to seal his career-best win.
However, the celebration was short-lived as the Italian faced world number three Daniil Medvedev in the championship match two days later. The 22-year-old competed in his first major final and felt the pressure against a more experienced opponent in the early stages of the match.
Nevertheless, Jannik turned the tables and achieved a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory in three hours and 44 minutes, becoming the first Italian champion in Melbourne. Sinner earned one more point than Medvedev, maintaining focus and erasing a significant deficit on his way to the title.
Both players managed four breaks, and the Italian capitalized on his return games at crucial moments. Daniil served well in the first set and secured two breaks for an early advantage. The Russian converted nearly half of the return points in the second set, turning them into two breaks and establishing a commanding lead, edging closer to his second major title.
Jannik faced a deuce on his serve at 4-4 in the third set, surviving the pressure and stealing his opponent’s serve in the tenth game to initiate his comeback. Daniil had an opportunity to close out the match in four sets but squandered a routine backhand at 30-0 on the return at 3-3.
Sinner survived that crucial game and secured another late break at 5-4 to force a decisive fifth set after three hours and six minutes, gaining a significant boost.
Both players held their serves well in the opening five games before Jannik made a breakthrough at 3-2 on the return. The Italian unleashed a forehand winner, securing a crucial break and taking the lead. The young talent solidified his advantage with a service winner in the seventh game, establishing a 5-2 lead and putting himself within reach of the trophy.
Medvedev narrowed the gap to 5-3 with a volley winner, leaving his opponent to serve for the title in the ninth game. Sinner made no mistakes in one of the most pivotal games of his career, hitting a forehand winner and celebrating his first major championship.
“Seeing Jannik as a major winner is fantastic; I was thrilled. I have known him for a long time, and he is a remarkable champion. I am confident that Jannik will accumulate many more major titles,” expressed Gael Monfils.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org