Sinner on Turin triumph: 'There is room for improvement!'

  • Posted: Nov 18, 2024

In a season where expectation was rarely voiced but excellence was constantly delivered, Jannik Sinner emerged as a standout performer.

The Italians emphatic victory at the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday was even sweeter as it marked his first title on home soil, tying a bow on an impressive year. It is a year in which he has posted a 70-6 record, including triumphs at the Australian Open, US Open and the prestigious season finale in Turin, yet Sinner is still hungry for more.

“I actually believe there is still a gap of improvement,” Sinner said following his 6-4, 6-4 win over Taylor Fritz in the title match in Turin, “Today I served very, very good at times, which was not the case throughout the whole tournament. There are still certain shots and points that I can do better, but [these] are small details.

“The higher you play level-wise, the more details make the difference. I’m always trying to improve as a player and trying to understand what I can do better.”

Sinner has continued to shatter records throughout the year. On Sunday, he joined Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as the only men to win the Australian Open, US Open and Nitto ATP Finals in the same year.

Heading into the 2024 season, however, Sinner was reluctant to outline his objectives.

“My goal was to understand what I can achieve this year,” reflected Sinner. “There was no specific goal of winning a Grand Slam or being No. 1 or whatever. It’s going to be the same next year: Whatever we can catch, we take, and the rest we learn.

“I think that was the mentality we approached this whole year [with] trying to raise my level in specific moments, which I’ve done throughout this year.”

Sinner soared to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in June and has not released his grip on the Tour since, but the 23-year-old will face a new challenge in January when he laces up in a bid to consolidate his standout year.

“I [will approach it] in the same way I did this year: Keeping calm, having my connection with my team,” added Sinner. “Taking it seriously, but also relaxed. You need to have a good balance.

“There are going to be many, many first times in our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Grand Slam or something else, you just have to be yourself as a player in this case and trying to understand if it works or not.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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