Jannik Sinner: The Tour’s fearless frontrunner in 2024

  • Posted: Oct 14, 2024

In the countdown to the Nitto ATP Finals (10-17 November), our new series, ‘Towards Turin‘, will showcase qualified players and those in contention, and update fans on the fierce battle between the sport’s best players to lock up one of the eight spots to the season finale.

From the moment he lifted his maiden major trophy at January’s Australian Open, no one was able to loosen Jannik Sinner’s iron grip on top spot in the 2024 PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

With his Tour-leading seventh title triumph of the year on Sunday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the Italian extended his Live Race lead from second-placed Carlos Alcaraz to an unassailable 3,620 points. The 23-year-old Sinner’s tally of 10,330 points ensures he will stay ahead of his rivals until the end of the year and therefore earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the first time.

Alcaraz, (6,710 points) and third-placed Alexander Zverev (6,215 points), who like Sinner have already sealed their spots at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, are the only players within 5000 points of the Italian. Daniil Medvedev is in fourth on 4,820 points, but there are then just 1,455 points separating US Open finalist Taylor Fritz in fifth and 12th-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Medvedev, Fritz and the rest of the chasing pack, which also includes record seven-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic, will all hope to boost their qualfication chances for Turin across the indoor hard-court swing that stretches across October and November. Djokovic will particularly have his eye on the 1,000 points available for the winner of the Rolex Paris Masters, where he is a record seven-time champion.

So how did Sinner establish such a dominant position in the Live Race? The Italian has enjoyed a glittering 2024 so far, racking up a 65-5 record and lifting a Tour-leading seven titles. After he clinched ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours in Shanghai, ATPTour.com looks at how Sinner, this year’s ‘fearsome frontrunner’, has taken the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin by storm.

[ATP APP]

SINNER’S 2024 STORY: LEADING FROM THE FRONT
After laying down an early marker by clinching his maiden major crown at the Australian Open, Sinner maintained that momentum in style throughout the 2024 season. The Italian, who won his first 16 tour-level matches of the year, had few problems staying on the front foot while handling his newfound status as ‘the man to beat’ on Tour.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
It doesn’t take much of a deep dive into the stats behind the 2024 season to understand Sinner’s dominance. The Italian tops the list for four of seven
INSIGHTS categories, according to Tennis Data Innovations.

<img alt=”Jannik Sinner” style=”width: 100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/14/10/35/sinner-tdi-insights-october-2024.jpg” />

Sinner is a player who enjoys stepping into court to dictate rallies with his aggressive ballstriking, making his Tour-leading Conversion score of 73.8% a key factor behind his stellar year. Conversion Score calculates the percentage of points won when a player has been in an attacking position.

At the same time, Sinner’s consistency in terms of power and quality from the back of the court has also been unrivalled. Coaches, rivals and spectators alike have noted the unique ‘pop’ the ball makes off Sinner’s racquet, and the Italian leads the Tour when it comes to Return Quality, Forehand Quality and Backhand Quality. Shot Quality is calculated in by analysing speed, spin, depth, width and impact on the opponent.

3 PEAK PERFORMANCES
1) A Major Mark In Melbourne: Sinner’s excellent second half of 2023 suggested he was ready to step up on tennis’ biggest stages, and he did not take long to fulfil that promise at January’s Australian Open. The Italian impressively dispatched 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals before rallying from two sets down to overhaul Daniil Medvedev in the final.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/01/28/14/56/sinner-australian-open-2024-final-press-conference.jpg” style=”width: 100%;” alt=”Jannik Sinner” />

Sinner speaks to the media after winning the Australian Open. Photo: William West/AFP via Getty Images

2) Jannik’s New York Minute: After the disappointment of missing the Paris Olympics due to illness, Sinner bounced back in style on the hard courts of the United States. He bookended his Grand Slam year in September by claiming the title at the US Open, where he beat home favourite Taylor Fritz in the final. Sinner was the first man in 47 years to claim his first two Grand Slam crowns in the same season.

3) Hard-court Heroics: Sinner has registered a Tour-leading 45-3 record on hard-courts in 2024. As well as lifting both his Grand Slam titles on the surface, the Italian has also lifted ATP Masters 1000 trophies in March in Miami, where he dropped just one set across six matches, in August in Cincinnati, and in October in Shanghai.

MILESTONE MOMENT
If 2024 goes on to become known as the ‘year of Sinner’, 10 June is arguably the single day that will be most associated with the Italian’s long-term legacy. Having reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros the previous week, Sinner woke up that Monday as the first Italian No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history. Sinner has remained in top spot since, and the 23-year-old has already wrapped up ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the first time.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/06/11/20/21/sinner-no-1-quiz.jpg” style=”width: 100%;” alt=”Jannik Sinner” />

Jannik Sinner celebrates his ascent to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in Monte-Carlo. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Read More On Sinner’s Rise To No. 1
Jannik Sinner: The flying fox who climbed to the very top
Longform tribute: Inside Sinner’s journey to World No. 1
Home, sweet home: Sinner celebrates World No. 1 in ‘special’ hometown visit

HOTTEST HOT SHOTS
Sinner’s natural shotmaking ability has long had fans around the world on their feet. Check out this selection of the Italian’s most magical moments from across 2024:

Source link