At the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner, then 22 years old, won his first Major championship and took the tennis world by storm. The Italian supported the championship with a victory last week in Rotterdam, where he became as the world’s third-ranked player after winning 15 straight games. In Rotterdam, Gael Monfils played against Sinner and praised the young gun for his accomplishments. Gael foresaw Jannik’s successful future and saw him winning numerous more Major trophies. Sinner’s success increased in the latter half of 2023 when he advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals and won the Masters 1000 trophy in Toronto.
After the US Open, the Italian lost just two games, triumphing in Beijing and Vienna to win the Davis Cup for Italy for the first time since 1976!Additionally, Jannik used the momentum he gained in the start of 2024 to defeat Novak Djokovic twice in the latter part of the year.
With three opponents ranked in the top ten standing in his way of winning the championship, Sinner cruised into the Australian Open quarterfinal without dropping a set. After defeating Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, two more Russians, Jannik set up a semifinal matchup with ten-time champion Novak Djokovic.
In three hours and twenty-two minutes, Sinner defeated Djokovic and advanced to his first Major final in their third match in as many months. The victory was a resounding 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 victory.
From the beginning to the end, Jannik performed at a very high level. He lost a match point in the third set but got off to a new start in the fourth, making history as the first man to defeat Novak in Melbourne beyond the quarterfinals.
For the first time in Majors matches that he had finished, Djokovic was unable to keep up with the young gun’s speed and failed to produce a break point! With 11 break points and five breaks, Novak was unable to withstand the strain throughout his games.
The Italian attacked and made fewer mistakes as he skillfully controlled his strokes. Strugglishing to force his shots and positioned well behind his opponent in the shortest distance of up to four strokes, the Serb sprayed more than fifty of them.
The youthful player got off to a dependable start, breaking four times in the first two sets and putting world number one miles behind. After escaping an early scare in the third set and advancing to a tie break, Djokovic lifted his level behind the opening shot with his back to the wall.
In order to prolong the fight and his chances, Novak stole the breaker 8-6 and refused a match point. Jannik bounced back from that loss like a man on a mission, pressing Novak and serving brilliantly in the fourth set.
In the fifth game, Sinner secured a resounding break by taking the lead and winning with a forehand down the line winner on serve at 5-3 to climb to the top and record his best-ever triumph.
However, the festivities were brief because the Italian faced world No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in the championship round two days later. The 22-year-old was in his first Major final and was under pressure early in the clash from a more seasoned opponent.
But Jannik reversed the outcome, winning 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in three hours and forty-four minutes to become Italy’s first champion in Melbourne. Sinner outscored Medvedev by one point, maintaining concentration and eliminating a significant deficit to win the championship.
Four breaks were scored by each player, and the Italian delivered his comeback performances when it counted most. In the first game, Daniil served efficiently and created two breaks to give his team an early lead. In the second set, the Russian won about half of the return points, converting them into a pair of breaks and creating a significant lead that put him one step closer to winning his second Major championship.
In game ten, Jannik began his comeback after he survived and stole his opponent’s service when he was down 4–4 in the third set. Daniil missed a straightforward backhand at 30-0 on the return at 3-3, giving him a chance to win in four sets.
In order to force a deciding after three hours and six minutes and obtain a significant advantage, Sinner managed to survive in that match and made another late break at 5-4.
They had five solid games of serving under their belts before Jannik entered the picture at 3-2. With a winning forehand, the Italian took the lead and secured a resounding break. With a game seven service victory, the young gun sealed the deal, taking a 5-2 lead and laying his hand on the trophy.
With a winning volley, Medvedev cut the lead to 5-3, forcing his opponent to serve for the championship in game nine. In one of the most significant games of his career, Sinner made no errors, winning with a forehand and winning his first Major.
It’s fantastic that Jannik won the major; I was thrilled to see it. He’s a tremendous champion that I’ve known for a long time.”I have no doubt that Jannik will win numerous more Major titles,” stated Gael Monfils.
