A sensational record underlines the rise of Jannik Sinner, who became the fourth tennis player since 1990 to reach at least the quarterfinals in all tournaments played on the ATP Tour. No player had come close to this impressive record of consistency achieved only by the Big Three Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, in the last thirty years. But the incredible 2024 of the young Italian has shown the world and his rivals the incredible progress that began in the second part of last season and culminated - this year - in the victory of the Australian Open, US Open and the throne of men's tennis.
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The ATP No.1 has managed to do the impossible: victory at the Australian Open, ABN AMRO Open, Miami Open, Halle Open, Western & Southern Open Cincinnati, Us Open and Shanghai Rolex Masters, finalist at the China Open, semifinalist at the BNP Paribas Open, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and French Open, quarterfinals at Mutua Madrid, Wimbledon Championships and National Bank Open.
The first to do it in 2005 was none other than Roger Federer with a 14/14: champion in Doha, Rotterdam, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Hamburg, Halle, Wimbledon, Cincinnati, Us Open and Bangkok, semifinals at the Australian Open and the French Open, quarterfinals in Monte-Carlo.
The second to repeat this feat was Novak Djokovic in that unforgettable 2011. During that season Nole was able to triumph at the Australian Open, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid, Rome, Wimbledon, Canada and the US Open, reaching the final in Cincinnati, the semifinals at the French Open and Basel, and the quarterfinals in Paris-Bercy. Four years later, the Serbian repeated the feat with a 15/15, which could have been matched by the Italian if he had participated in Bercy. In 2015, the Serbian was champion at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Rome, Wimbledon, the US Open, Beijing, Shanghai and Paris-Bercy, a finalist in Dubai, the French Open, Canada and Cincinnati, and a quarterfinal in Doha.
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Rafael Nadal joined the list in 2018 with a 9/9: victories in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, French Open and Canada, semifinals at Wimbledon and the US Open, quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Madrid.
But not just records. The defeat suffered by Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16 of the Paris Rolex Masters is quite heavy especially in view of the ATP Finals, and for the repercussions on the ATP ranking and the fight for number 1. The Spaniard, considering the absences of the other Bigs and the early eliminations of many top-tier tennis players, did not take advantage of a golden opportunity in France to make a significant haul of points and recover ground on his direct Italian opponent, who saw the gap on the Spaniard of over 4000 points remain almost unchanged.
Sinner is close to consolidating his ATP No. 1 beyond the Australian Open 2025, his first big hurdle of the new year, with 2000 to defend for the triumph achieved in January 2024. Not to consider what Carlitos will get from here on, Jannik needs exactly 1080 points to surely exit as ATP No. 1 after Melbourne. So it will be necessary to win the ATP Finals in Turin or secure 4 wins out of 5 in front, thus having an almost mathematical certainty, considering how last year he was defeated by Novak Djokovic only in the final and in fact collected a total of 1000 points.
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Alcaraz will still need a feat to overtake the Italian in Australia, and he needs the complicity of his rival. The Spaniard is practically obliged to obtain a series of victories between the ATP Finals and the Australian Open, to obtain the maximum of 3500 points, hoping for results not up to the level of the Italian, who in fact must not collect more than 1080 points. There is a data to indicate the impressive current gap between the two players: calculating all the points lost between the ATP Finals and Melbourne, Sinner is certain to have at least 8330 at the end of the first Slam of the new season. A figure higher than 1120 than the current ranking points of Alcaraz (7210), who will lose 800 for the results achieved in 2023 between the two events.
