Jannik Sinner has faced the world number one player six times, achieving a commendable four victories. The young Italian is the second-best player in this category since the inception of the ATP ranking in 1973, with only Rafael Nadal ahead of him. Nadal, like Sinner, has proven to be a formidable opponent for top-ranked players, particularly Roger Federer. Similarly, Jannik has shown his ability to challenge opponents from the top of the ATP list, defeating Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic four times, while losing twice to the Serbian player last year.
In their first encounter, which took place in Monte Carlo in 2021, Sinner faced Djokovic. Despite breaking Djokovic’s serve twice in the opening set, the Italian was unable to secure a victory, as Djokovic shifted into a higher gear in the second set, ultimately defeating Sinner. Jannik’s campaign in the tournament came to an end in the second round, with Djokovic breaking his serve five times.
Two years later, in the 2023 Miami Masters semi-final, Sinner avenged his previous loss against the world number one by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a three-hour match. Sinner’s victory over Alcaraz marked his third win against the Spaniard in six matches, showcasing his versatility on different playing surfaces.
Sinner’s most notable achievements against world number one players came in a series of matches against Djokovic between November and January. In the ATP Finals round-robin stage, Sinner emerged victorious in a thrilling three-set match, captivating the partisan crowd in Turin. This win was followed by another triumph over Djokovic in the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, where Sinner fended off three match points to secure the victory.
Although Sinner experienced a loss against Djokovic in the final of the Miami Masters, his overall performance against world number one players has been impressive. These encounters have undoubtedly provided Sinner with valuable experience and a boost of confidence as he looks ahead to future competitions.
Novak displayed excellent serving skills and had an opportunity to break in the eighth game, but Jannik’s impressive forehand drive-volley winner denied him. Djokovic easily won the ninth game and had three match points on his return in the following game.
Sinner showed great determination, saving those match points and delivering two powerful serves to level the score at 5-5. The Italian then secured a break in the 11th game with a fantastic forehand down the line winner. He sealed the victory in the next game on his own serve, defeating Djokovic for the second time in just one week.
These two competitors previously faced off in the semi-finals of the Australian Open a few weeks ago. The young challenger triumphed over the experienced veteran, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 in a thrilling match that lasted three hours and 22 minutes. This victory not only propelled him to his first Major final but also marked his fourth win against the world’s number one player.
Jannik outperformed Novak in every aspect of the game, becoming the first player to defeat the reigning champion of Melbourne after the quarter-final stage. Djokovic struggled to create any break opportunities, a rare occurrence for him in completed matches at Major tournaments. The pressure seemed to get to him, resulting in over 50 unforced errors and difficulties with his initial shots. Sinner took advantage of this, breaking Djokovic five times out of the 11 chances he was given. Despite missing a match point in the third set, Sinner remained confident and continued to dominate the shorter rallies, never backing down. It’s possible that we may witness another encounter between Sinner and Djokovic at the Indian Wells tournament in March.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org