Jannik Sinner made history Monday when he climbed to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings following Roland Garros.
The 22-year-old now stands at the pinnacle of the sport, which he says is “the biggest meaning we have in our sport. It’s the best number you can have”.
In the latest edition of ATPTour.com’s ‘Tuesday Trivia’ series, we test your knowledge of Sinner’s rise to World No. 1.
British number one Cameron Norrie says he “did not play my best tennis” after needing three sets to beat Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro in the first round of the Nottingham Open.
Watch British number one Cameron Norrie’s best shots as he defeats Sho Shimabukuro on his first return to Nottingham in six years.
Andy Murray’s first match of the grass-court season ends in defeat by American Marcos Giron at the Stuttgart Open.
Alexander Zverev withdrew from the BOSS OPEN on Tuesday due to fatigue.
The No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings reached the Roland Garros final, his second championship match at a Grand Slam tournament (2020 US Open).
[ATP APP]“I’ve played a lot of tennis in the last few weeks and reached the final in Paris, where I played five tough sets,” Zverev said. “I feel that my body is not ready to go from clay to grass now.”
The German owns a 34-10 record this season. He won an ATP Masters 1000 title on clay in Rome.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Watch Emma Radacanu’s best shots as she secures her first win on grass in over a year against Ena Shibahara in Nottingham.
Emma Raducanu defies a late wobble to get her grass-court season off to a winning start with a straight sets victory over Japan’s Ena Shibahara.
Two-time BOSS OPEN champion Matteo Berrettini improved his impressive record in Stuttgart on Tuesday when he clawed past eighth seed Roman Safiullin 7-6(8), 5-7, 7-5 in a first-round thriller.
The Italian, playing for the first time since Monte-Carlo in April, saved one set point in the first set and raised his level in the decider. The former World No. 6 fired 13 aces in the third set and fended off all four break points he faced, according to ATP Infosys Stats, to advance after two hours and 57 minutes.
Berrettini clinched the crown in Stuttgart in 2019 and 2022 and will next meet Denis Shapovalov or Matteo Martineau at the grass-court ATP 250. Berrettini has often found his best level on grass. The 28-year-old won the Queen’s Club trophy in 2021 and 2022 and advanced to the Wimbledon final in 2021.
“First match after a few months and I was hoping for something easier,” Berrettini joked. “I think I am really happy with the way I fought on court. After not playing for months it is not easy to comeback and play well and that is what I told myself, just to fight. Just to try to enjoy because I missed it and I am really happy to be back here.”
[ATP APP]Marcos Giron earned his first win against a current or former World No. 1 when he defeated Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4 in Stuttgart. The American won 80 per cent (33/41) of his first-serve points to set a second-round clash with Jack Draper.
Murray reached the final in Stuttgart in 2022 but will drop out of the Top 100 for the first time since Janaury 2022 next Monday following his 11th tour-level loss of the year.
The Scot has won seven of his 46 tour-level titles on grass.
Berrettini’s countryman Lorenzo Musetti also advanced to the second round in Germany. The fifth seed defeated French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(9), 7-6(11). The No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings saved two set points in the first set and one set point in the second set.
“It was a really tough, challenging match, particularly returning his serve,” Musetti said. “I am really happy on getting my first win on grass. It is always nice to play here and I have good sensations and feelings and looking forward to the next days.”
Musetti, who reached the quarter-finals in Stuttgart last year, plays Germany’s Dominik Koepfer in the second round.
In other action, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech beat #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-5, while Australian James Duckworth eliminated Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 7-6(2). Duckworth next faces second seed Ben Shelton.
Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who reached the final last year, beat Flavio Cobolli 7-6(7), 6-3.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Jannik Sinner joined one of the most prestigious groups in tennis on Monday when he became the 29th player to rise to No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings.
The 22-year-old is the first Italian to rise to top spot. A host of former World No. 1’s, including Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, shared words of praise to celebrate the Italian’s achievement.
“Hey Jannik, Andre here. Let me be one of the many to congratulate you on being the No. 1 tennis player in the world. That is one heck of an achievement and I can’t think of anybody that deserves it more than you,” Agassi said. “Here’s kind of a cool way to look at it. If the universe had a tennis tournament, Earth would pick you. How cool is that? Enjoy.”
Federer spent a record 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 from 2004 to 2008.
“Hey Jannik. Many congratulations also from my side to become World No. 1,” Federer said. “I think this for me personally maybe the ultimate achievement and I am sure you are incredibly happy and you should be so proud. I’m sure also Italy is loving you right now as they should being the first Italian player ever to be World No. 1. It is incredible. I couldn’t be happier for you. You are a great person, great player and I wish you only the best for the future Jannik. Take care, I’ll see you soon.”
The No.1 club called, and the former No.1’s are so glad you answered, Jannik ❤️
Hard work and perseverance got him here, and now the legends of the game unite to welcome their newest member🥇#S1NNER | #PIF | #ATPRankings | #partner pic.twitter.com/Ko1nd6Ij8t
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 10, 2024
Roddick was the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF in 2003 after he won his only major at that year’s US Open. The American shared words of encouragement to Sinner.
“Jannik Sinner, congratulations,” Roddick said. “I just wanted to give a huge shoutout on this monumental accomplishment. I know that it takes a lifetime of work and I also know that the Tour never stops. I hope you find a little bit of time to sit back and take in what you’ve accomplished, getting to No. 1 in the World. Wow, I promise you no one can ever take it away from you.
“From where I sit, it has been an absolute pleasure to watch the way that you act, the way that you’ve improved, the way that you strive for greatness already at such a young age. I hope to see many, many, many more years of it and please give our best to your team because we also know that no one can do it alone, but congrats and I hope you take some time and really soak it in.”
Bjorn Borg was the fourth man to climb to No. 1 when he reached the pinnacle of the sport in 1977. The legendary Swede won 11 major titles and was ranked in the world’s year-end Top 10 across eight straight seasons between 1973 and 1981.
“In 1973 when the ATP Rankings came out the big thing was to be the No. 1 player in the world,” Borg said. “That’s one of the most important things. And I have to say, Jannik, you are the No. 1 player in the world and congratulations to you because I know how difficult it is to be the best player in the world and I hope you’re going to stay for a long time. I know you have a new generation coming after you, but you made a point and hope you’re going to stay for many weeks to come.”
Yevgeny Kafelnikov overtook Pete Sampras to become No. 1 in May 1999. The 26-time tour-level titlist remained in top spot for six weeks.
“I would like to congratulate you with one of the greatest achievements in men’s tennis, reaching the World No. 1 ranking,” Kafelnikov said. “It is a pinnacle that most tennis players only dream about. And I know that all the hard work that you’ve put in paid off. Personally, I want you to continue to bring excitement to all the Italian fans and the fans all over the world with your game. So enjoy your day. Well done and welcome to the club.”
Andy Murray spent 41 weeks at No. 1, climbing to top spot for the first time in November 2016. The Scot fell to Sinner in their most recent Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Dubai in 2022.
“Hi Jannik. I just wanted to send a message to say congrats on getting to World No. 1 for the first time,” Murray said. “It is very well deserved. You have had an incredible year. I know how difficult it is to get there, but you fully deserve it. Well done and all the best.”
Icons Guga Kuerten, John McEnroe, Daniil Medvedev, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter, Jim Courier, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg also sent tributes to 13-time tour-level champion Sinner.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic improved to 15-1 in first-round matches on grass since 2014 on Tuesday at the Libema Open. The former World No. 3 dispatched eighth seed Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round at the ATP 250 event.
Competing for the first time since Indian Wells in March, Raonic thundered 14 aces according to ATP Infosys Stats to earn just his fourth tour-level win of the season after 90 minutes.
Raonic will next meet Roberto Bautista Agut or Marc-Andrea Huesler.
[ATP APP]#NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils won his first tour-level grass-court match in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he moved past countryman Arthur Cazaux 6-4, 6-4.
The 19-year-old, who was competing in his third tour-level match on the surface, did not face a break point en route to his one-hour, 33-minute win in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Cazaux.
Fils, currently first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, will next play third-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the Netherlands.
The 2019 champion Adrian Mannarino made a winning start to his campaign in the Netherlands, where he clawed past Stefano Napolitano 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2. The 35-year-old next plays Gijs Brouwer after the Dutch qualifier defeated #NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
In other action, Australian Aleksandar Vukic beat countryman Max Purcell 6-3, 7-6(5), while Mackenzie McDonald downed Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]