Jannik Sinner will make his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday night against Alex de Minaur, an opponent he has always defeated in the professional tour. The worldnumber 1 defeated the Australian ace to win his first Masters title in Toronto last year and has generally never given the feeling that he could be put into difficulty by the blows of his rival.
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Sinner and de Minaur met again this year in the Rotterdam ATP 500 finalshortly after the Australian Open. The Australian player played a great match on the Dutch indoor hard court, but Jannik made the difference in the decisive moments and won yet another victory against him.
Having skipped the Rolex Paris Masters due to an intestinal virus, the 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria arrived in Turin well in advance and immediately started practicing. The two-time Grand Slam champion has immediately confided that the surface is slower than last years edition, a factor that could help his great rival Carlos Alcaraz.
It is no secret that the young Spaniard does not love too fast courts, as shown by the bad defeats suffered this year in Cincinnati and Paris-Bercy. Sinner remains the top favorite to lift the trophy, but he will have to be very careful and avoid any loss of concentration. The Italian ace will be supported by his fans in Turin and really hopes to celebrate a trophy that would have an even more special taste.
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Jannik will be awarded on Monday
The world number 1 was simply impressive this year, having established himself as the best player in the world. Jannik has more than 60 wins in 2024 and has suffered only six losses since January, winning two Grand Slam titles, three Masters 1000 and two ATP 500. In addition, Sinner will receive the trophy for closing the season as world number 1 from Andrea Gaudenzi on Monday evening.
In a long interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Darren Cahill talked about Sinners rise: When he came back against Medvedev in the final of the Australian Open, we saw all the strength of Sinner and his refusal to lose. Jannik absorbs information like a sponge. He is not afraid to change or try new things, to question himself and make mistakes. Many players dont have that courage. He found a way to smile even in the face of adversity. This sport, if you do not enjoy it, becomes unbearable. Sometimes things dont go the way you want them to, but when 10,000 people are watching you and maybe half of them are children who dream of being sinners, then you find a reason to smile.
Despite a really excellent season, the Italian ace has some regrets. He had to skip the Paris Olympics due to a tonsillitis, which forced him to give forfeit a few days before the event. Jannik had already had to miss the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it was another blow for him. In addition, the two-time Grand Slam champion was hit by a doping case that subjected him to a long trial and extreme stress. That stress affected him especially during the Wimbledon Championships in which - by his own admission - he spent several sleepless nights.
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All set for the ATP Finals
The World No.1 is ready to shine in Turin, where he reached the final last year. "For me, this is a very special tournament; I have worked very hard to be here. Turin is always special, even more so this year he said in the press conference. There are many more people involved in the tennis world, and it's great to see that. We try our best to make this beautiful sport grow as much as possible, even in a country that loves football as much as Italy does. This tournament is almost perfect; people come here to see a high level of tennis. It's true that my position has changed in the last twelve months, but I am still the same person Jannik added.
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He also reflected on his rivalry with Alcaraz: "It's difficult to talk about rivalries when we are still so young. We have each won two Grand Slams this year, but we still have many experiences ahead of us and many things to accomplish. I hope this will be a great tournament, also for the crowd, but it's still too early to talk about rivalries."
The Italian and Spanish ace will only be able to face each other in the semi-finals or in the final, having been placed in two different groups. Fans are hoping to see another chapter in their rivalry before the end of the season, regardless of whether it is in Turin or Malaga.
